Tails
by Madhog thy Master
Summary: Darwin's Natural Selection theory states that a species evolves in order to better survive the habitat in which this very species lives in... Evolution knows no limitations.
1. Chapter 1

**TAILS**

* * *

**1.**

**An unspecified number of millenniums ago.**

It was a sunny day in the zone who, in a distant future, would be known as Emerald Hill. The local animals were scavenging for food, particularly, one creature was struggling in the attempt to grab a very rare and juicy fruit who apparently was out of reach… This peculiar animal was a member of the Canine species, a vulpine, a fox, for being more accurate.

In this part of the land, foxes were the dominant species, the top of the Food Chain. Things, however, were anything but easy for them: a recent storm happened to destroy most of the forest they used to live, as a direct consequence of Mother Nature's latest outburst, most of the common fox's natural preys were forced to leave the zone. The results of this tragic event are still considered by today's scientists very improbable, or, as many used to say, blaspheme. The vulpine, a carnivore animal species by Nature's choice, instead of leaving for a better place, changed it's alimentary habits and became omnivore. That was the very first step for a whole new race to arise.

And another giant step was about to take place in this very sunny day.

The fruit this particular canine wanted so bad to eat was definetelly out of range for a common fox to pick… This animal, however, was not your common small sized quadruped fox. It was bigger, stronger and even more intelligent, it was also the only one of it's kind at the moment, as a matter of fact. The other normal foxes had rejected it, they feared it and isolated it, not wanting to be anywhere near this "horrible freak of nature". This "freak" was sick and tired, the juicy fruit he tried to grab was still out of it's reach… And that's when an idea came to it's primitive mind: it knew it was born different from the other vulpines, not only it was bigger, but it's arms were also different… The legs had a whole new articulation system and… Knees.

With a lot of efforts, the new fox was able to stand on his very knees, in a bipedal and surprisingly stable position and now it's Sacred Graal was finally at it's height. The creature put it's arm forward in the motion of actually grab it's very deserved meal, only to notice something it didn't notice before… It's paw had a new appendage, a thumb, for the sake of clarity, and with this new "finger", the animal was actually capable of holding the fruit in it's own "5 fingered hand".

Satisfied by this new discovery, the not so feral fox ate it's lunch and than HE walked away (on it's two feet).

And that was pretty much it: the inexplicable scientific miracle of Life, Nature and Evolution at it's best. A whole new race has rose, the first ever anthropomorphic fox… The first Kitsune.

And this was just the beginning.

* * *

**Several millenniums later.**

Fire. Explosions. Death. That was all that was left of Emerald Town, a once quiet city in the center of the Emerald Hill Zone, now reduced into dust and burnt corpses… Kitsune's.

Someone, however, was able to escape this hell and took cover inside an ancient undiscovered cave. In this improvised refuge, Amadeus and Rosemary Prower, a young married Kitsune couple, stood in silence and fear hoping not to be found, hoping to survive that fatal day, among all, hoping that their precious cargo could live through all of this…

Rosemary Prower was, indeed, pregnant and very close to gave birth of her and her husband's child. Her belly was like a time ticking bomb, luckily, before leaving their home, Amadeus brought all the necessary things needed for the fortunate / unfortunate event.

In that stormy night, a night that seemed fulfilled by hopelessness and misery, a cry could be heard, a childish cry, a baby cry… Once again, Life and will to survive have prevailed despite the condition in which they would have to prove themselves.

This world was not a safe place anymore. Through the course of ages, humans and anthropomorphic animals (better known as Mobians or Anthros) have managed to live side by side but of course things weren't as easy as they looked… They never are. Through the ages, humans and Mobians have fought many battles for supremacy, for the desire of being the dominant race, that until a truce was somehow reached and the world was equally divided between the two species… But, sapient beings, as we know are not bound for Peace, they are driven by the irrational will to fight whom is different or even whom is similar just for the heck of it. Mobians were not different as they received from humans a thing that have been typical of them: Racism. Mobian races (like Echidna or Hedgehogs) fought each others trough the centuries for whatever reason. The absence of a common enemy was the key of the separation between cultures.

That, of course, until a couple of years ago.

A new enemy has risen. A human, or as many Mobians used to call 'em, an Overlander. Nobody knew the origins of this new menace, not even his people, he had no background or family members whatsoever, he simply came out from nowhere attacking a small village in the Green Hill Zone with an army of animalistic robots, making his presence known.

The rotund evil scientist called himself… Doctor Eggman.

Over the last couple of years the combined forces of G.U.N. (Guardian of the United Nations, the military organization of the human country) and some spare Mobian armies have barely been able to contain the advance of the so-called "Eggman Empire", but it's robots, it's "Badniks" seemed to be quite powerful and sooner or later they would overcome.

While the humans relied their strength more on technology and weapons, the Mobians's true strength was in their fighting skills, a gift from their feral ancestors, many scientists supposed, and the result of centuries of evolution and training. But even with that physical advantage over the humans, they were not capable of standing against this new and ferocious metallic army and it's sadistic and megalomaniac commander…

The natural habitat have been compromised, Nature had to find it's way once again…

The young Kitsune couple hidden in the cave, despite everything, was happy. Their baby (a male fox) was sane and quiet in his mother's arms. Although, something was worrying the new parents, something about their child, about his tail for being precise… The fact that he had more than one.

The new born kit was the very first two-tailed Kitsune in history… For that reason, he's life was bound not to be easy, a cruel and inhospitable world was awaiting for him but his loving parents swore that they would never abandon him no matter the difficulties…

A thunder exploded in the distance, scaring the kit in an unimaginable way. The instinctual reaction that followed his sudden fear was something that neither one of his parents was expecting… The little fox cub, born for only a few minutes, rose in air, his two tails were spinning like an helicopter allowing him to actually fly. After a while, the cub got tired and slowly descended once again in his mother's arms.

The miracle happened again. In that very stormy, merciless night, a new hope was born… A naturally gifted warrior in response of the hostility of his habitat.

And he would not be the only one…

* * *

**8 years later.**

Fear was the key word, for this young unfortunate girl who happened to be in the proverbial wrong place at the proverbial wrong time.

A new kind of robot, different from the old animal based Badniks, was dangerously approaching her.

It's red visor was scanning the little frightened kid and it's mechanical A.I. was deciding the right way to proceed. All of a sudden, the anthropomorphic bot spoke:

"Subject: Mobian Rabbit. Priority one: bring to Dr Eggman. Kill if resists."

The 6 years old bunny was about to cry her eyes out for fear, but instead she found out that her voice, along with the rest of her trembling body, was basically frozen. She have heard the rumors… Voices of horrible experiments and tortures that the mad doctor did to his victims… Voices of innocent creatures transformed into the Badnik's main source of energy and she didn't want to be one of them.

Than again, there wasn't anything that she could do by herself against this metallic monster.

As if on cue, something happened to the robot or, for better choice of words, someone happened.

Before the enhanced metal soldier could do anything, his head was severed from the rest of the body by a sudden aerial roundhouse kick that came out from nowhere… On land. The corpse fall into the grass and the SWATBot was no more.

The young rabbit girl looked up to face her savior.

She was mouth agape and almost speechless when she found out that her hero was a kid just like her, maybe a couple of years older, the only difference was that he was one of a different race… A fox, but the fact that really shocked her was that he had TWO TAILS!!!

The Kitsune looked the bunny in the eyes and smiled. He had big blue caring eyes.

She was still a little taken aback, she heard the stories that other kids, older and meaner than her, told her. The stories about rabbits being the natural preys of foxes. In a certain way it was true, the feral ancestors of these two Mobian races used to have it that way. This, however, concerned only them, because even being a rabbit or a fox, these two young childs were still Mobians… A whole species of sapient beings despite the differences (basically, in human terms, they shared the same difference that an American and a Canadian had).

The fox kid kneeled himself to the rodent girl's scared eyes and spoke:

"Don't worry, I'm not gonna hurt you, you're safe now."

That had the desired effect on her. She started crying, finally releasing her distress and hugged the boy tightly.

"I-I-I thought I was gonna be a B-Badnik!" She sobbed.

"It's okay, it's all over now… My name is Miles Prower, but you can call me Tails. What's yours?"

Not wanting to be impolite, the girl released him from her hug and answered.

"I'm Cream. Thank you for saving me, Mr Prower."

"Mr Prower? Gee, I get that I seem mature for my age but that makes me feel old! Just call me Tails, will you?"

"Ok, Mr Tails."

"Sigh. Well, that's an improvement. What were you doing out in the forest all alone, don't you know it's extremely dangerous?"

"Well, I was trying to catch my Chao pet, Cheese, and I found myself alone in the forest."

"Where are you from?"

"Station Square."

"I know the place, I will accompany you to it, ok?"

"O-ok, thanks again, Tails."

The young courageous kit took the rabbit in his arms, spun his namesakes and rose in air. Cream was utterly stunned for the thing.

"YOU CAN FLY!?"

"Yep, it's a birth gift, it really comes in handy sometimes, especially when you have to deal with mean robots. Hold on now, this will be quite a ride."

When he gained enough height, he started fly relatively fast in the direction of the city. Cream was enjoying the tour.

Station Square was the biggest city in the country and, idealistically, was the Great Melting Pot of this planet. Humans and Mobians of every race used to live side by side in this big city, the fact of having to deal with a common enemy reinforced their relations and the city grew strong… Of course there were still problems, there will always be problems, it's just the way things are. However this did not concern this story. The vulpine escorted the rabbit to her home (he also managed to find her Chao in the way) and, after the thankful tears of joy of her mother and politely refusing a dinner invite, the Kitsune left the city and headed to his operational base.

Miles "Tails" Prower in his early 8 years of life had become a really important person. For the first 4 years he was just a kid who was teased and beaten by others because of his physical difference… But than, things changed when he saved an entire family of Mobian squirrels from a small army of Badniks all by himself. Chaos wanted that this family was none other than the former royal Acorn family, Maximillian and his daughter Sally. After their city-state was took by Eggman's pawns and transformed into the doctor's own headquarters a few years earlier, this two were the only survivors of the royal heritage and they were also missing for quite some times. It turned out that the Acorns were hiding themselves in a secluded place known as Knothole, only to be casually found by some flying Badniks during a routine patrol session. The place was burnt and the two were captured, luckily for them, the little group happened to encounter a very young Kitsune on their way… When he saw the impending danger, something inside him snapped and before any of them could register, the kit was, somehow, out of pure luck or whatever, able to destroy all the 5 mechanical bees that were desperately trying to zap him. After that display of courage, the young one fainted, mainly due to a wound in his left side.

After that course of events, the news spread and Miles Prower became a national hero, which was a thing that he, due to his shy personality, despised. After a while, Miles discovered to have a peculiar ability with machinery and a superior intellect, someone said that his I.Q. was even superior to the one of Dr Eggman himself!

That was one of the reasons of why the doctor wanted his two tails on a silver platter. Tails and his family were forced to leave Westside Island and move to the most secure and protected zone in the Mobian country… The Mystic Ruins, a large, almost impenetrable ancient forest. Tails's family lived peacefully in their sweet little home just outside the forest. The forest was also the hidden operational base of a private and famous militia created by Sally Acorn right after her rescue: the Freedom Fighters. Sally personally wanted Tails to be a part of it due to his intelligence and skills. Despite the obvious reluctance of his family (they didn't really wanted their child to be hurt or worse, just like any caring parents), the boy accepted the offer and joined the group.

The Freedom Fighters Militia became, in little time, a large group that was able to spread all over the Mobian country, or Mobius for shorts, it even successfully cooperated with G.U.N. to achieve important victories over the Eggman Empire and freeing some cities from it's grip. That of course didn't pleased the fat scientist, which decided to stay low for a while…

In the time being, Tails, young as he was, became a full trained fighter, a mechanical genius and an excellent pilot. His most prized creation was an airplane known as the X-Tornado, a combat designed plane capable of achieving impressive speed and other cool stuff.

Right now, Tails was running back to his base before heading home. As running, I mean he was using his namesakes to propel himself and moving forward at an impressive speed. Speed, indeed, was another gift that his appendages had brought to him, he was, by no means, the fastest thing on two feet in Mobius… Or at least, he thought he was... But that's another story.

* * *

**Somewhere in the south-west of the Mystic Ruins.**

She was running. Running with all her efforts. Running faster than any normal Mobian could hope to run… She wasn't, however, a normal Mobian. As a matter of fact she probably wasn't even… An animal. One thing was clear though, she was scared. She was scared to death that THEY could capture her, torture her and even kill her… Just like her parents.

Similar to a certain vulpine… She was unique.

And she needed help.


	2. Chapter 2

**2.**

The Freedom Fighters Mystic Ruins Operational Base was, indeed, a well hidden place. So hidden, actually, that I forgot how to enter in it. Fortunately, our two-tailed protagonist knew how so the story could continue…

"Hello there Miles, have you found something interesting during your routine patrol?"

"Well… Excluding a SWATBot waaaaay out of it's usual patrolling zone and a frightened rabbit girl… Not much."

"We know. Our camera systems detected it's presence. It's strange though, they never dare to go this far from their confines. There has to be a reason for that."

"It's what I figured. It's been a while since Eggman's last 'take over the world' plan."

The Mobian female cat nodded in approval.

"There is something that you need to see."

She showed the way.

The feline's name was Blaze. She was one of the latest members of the militia, being a part of it for barely a couple of years after her kingdom was conquered by the Eggman Empire. Blaze the Cat was a queen, the youngest crowned queen in all of Mobius but she didn't like to talk about it, she has always saw herself as a warrior more than a royal diplomat… She became a Freedom Fighters not long later her forced exile by a personal favor to Sally Acorn. After her first mission, she made perfectly clear what she was capable of…

Blaze was a pyrokinetic… A master of the element of fire. She, just like Tails, was born like that. Unique. Was she a curious evolutionary step or just a mutation accident? No one could really tell.

"So… How are things going?"

"Burning, as usual."

And she was also a master in puns.

The two F.F. entered the main room of the hidden base and were greeted by a couple of persons.

"HIYA TAILS! HOW ARE YOU!?" Said an obnoxious, over exited young pink hedgehog girl attempting to learn some new delicious meals from her cookbook.

"Mmmpfh." Was the usual, quiet rumor that this particular purple reptile does to acknowledge others people presence… And only the people he considered worth of it.

"Hi Amy. Espio. What are the news?"

Espio the Chameleon did not say anything, he usually, or better, he never said anything during all time that he joined the Militia… It was just his way, he was a mystery for everybody. The purple Chameleon was a former trained, professional contract killer and used to work for an agency called, Chaotix. That until his partners were killed during a vicious battle against 100 Badniks. They didn't stand a chance. Somehow he was able to survive thanks to his peculiar abilities. Espio was a ninja, a real ninja that followed the ancient code, in which Failure is not contemplated. The day he failed, however, was something that scarred his pride in many ways. He never spoke again since that day.

"Espio, could you please let us see it again?" Said the now less cheerful voice of Amy Rose. She was the youngest member of the F.F. ,besides Tails, and her role was basically the cook or the cheerleader… But under that mask of genuine happiness laid a deep and more profound personality that comes out only in very serious moments, moments like these. No one really knows about this girl's past and she never spoke about it, Espio, however, seemed to be the only one to see beyond her happy face and caught her internal sorrows… But of course, he's not telling anybody.

The purple ninja, who also happened to be a skilled hacker, put on the giant computer's screen a registration tape from no more than 20 minutes ago.

This section of the Freedom Fighters Militia had disposed several hidden cameras all over the forest confines in order to be prepared for an eventual attack. This time, instead, their use would have saved a life.

Tails and the others watched the tape from the south-west zone with concern and concentration. The video showed a certain someone chased by a 20 well armed SWATBots right into the forest.

"20 full armed SWATBots for only one person? He or she must be very important…" Said Blaze in her typical polite manner. The other nodded.

"Espio, can you zoom the image so we can see her / his face a little better?" Asked the Kitsune.

Espio nodded and did.

She was definetelly a "Her", no doubts about it, but what really left the F.F. , even Espio, speechless (no pun intended) was the fact that this girl was nothing similar to what they used to know. She wasn't even near to resemble a Mobian, a human or any kind of species living on this planet.

She was unique and, to Tails standards, very pretty.

"What.. Is.. That THING?"

"Amy, don't be impolite, she a living being (I think) that needs help. I say that we shall roost those SWATBots for good!" Blaze, the master of fire puns.

Espio showed his concern.

"I know, I know, that we should wait the return of the leader but I don't think that she has much time left… She could be dead right now as we speaking. Or even worse…"

They all knew what was the Worse that Tails was talking about. They all saw it…  
"So, it's decided! I shall turn their worthless corpses into frying pans!"

"Will you ever stop to do this puns?" Asked Amy.

"Will you ever stop being so obnoxious." Responded Blaze.

"Oooooh, BURN! And that pun was intended!" Said finally a laughing Tails.

Espio snorted. He was just him.

After that laughing session, the young Kitsune, who was allowed to have the lead of the fortress while the real leader was out, gave a few orders and was preparing to leave with Blaze and Amy, when the video-phone rang. Amy answered.

"Ehi, 'leader', it's your mommy!"

Tails blushed furiously between the girls giggles, his weakly built bad ass attitude was reduced to pieces.

"Hi mom." The kit answered. "I told you not to call me at work. It's embarrassing."

"It's embarrassing that a mother loves and get sickly worried about his 8 years old son who happened to be involved in a WAR!?"

"She's got a point, you know?"

"Shut up Amy! You're just 4 years older than me!"

Resuming the conversation with his mother.

"Don't forget to be punctual for dinner. Tonight I will cooked those chilidogs that you like so much."

"Thanks mom. I'll try to be punctual but, you see, there is this emergency…"

"No excuses, young boy! If you won't be here for the 8 o'clock, you will be grounded for 2 month! That means, no freedom fighting and putting your life on line for a loooong time! AM I UNDERSTOOD!?"

"Gulp! Yes sir! Her, I mean, yes Ma'am!"

"Good. By the way, your father wants to play baseball with you this weekend."

"Great… Ok, see you tonight."

"I love you, hun!"

"Yeah, whatever. Bye mom."

For a casual observer that happened to be in the vicinity, the excessive amount of hysterical and uncontrollable girlish laughs that followed that video-phone conversation could have been misunderstood for a massive pigs slaughter fest.

"And be punctual Tails! Or you'll be grounded!" Said Amy through a monstrous laugh and another.

"Oh oh oh, your mother has definetelly the upper hand of the flamethrower!" Blaze, who else?

"Why don't you just grow up!" Complained Tails.

"Looks who's talking… Mama's boy!"

Even the quiet Espio couldn't help but smirk.

"Ok, I have had it. When you guys are finished with your 'laughing-at-the-mama's boy' session, reach me, I'll be on the way."

With that said, the fox cub departed from the base and went for his scouting mission. He was furious about his comrades immaturity for a while but then he became focused once again for his mission. He had a life to save and some ugly bots to smash.

* * *

**Meanwhile.**

**_Anf.. Anf.. I-I can't go on… I'm so tired. NO! I can't let them catch me. I.. Must.. Run.. Away._**

The fatigue was quite evident in this young girl's motions. She was barely able to move and her body was going forward out of pure determination. She didn't really know why that doctor wanted her so bad. She didn't want to know, all she wanted was to escape. To run as far as possible from the mad Overlander and his minions.

And she was breathless… And wounded.

Her left leg was a bloody mess.

Blood. Something that she knew very well after seen what They have done to her parents.

She was next. She only knew that.

Unfortunately for her, the blood loss became a further track for her hunters and 5 of them were already following it.

It wouldn't be long now. They would find her. They would kill her. It was hopeless. It was…

**_NO! I m-must find them. The Freedom Fighters. I must…_**

And she collapsed. Her lack of strength and her bad wound didn't left her a very big chance. She was now like a wounded animal ready to be eaten by it's predators… Only, she wasn't an animal.

"Subject: Seedrian. Priority one: bring to Dr Eggman. Alive."

She could still hear them. Fear was once again, the key word.

**_It's over… It's all over. Mom. Dad. I will see you again._**

She hadn't the time to finish that thought.

Something happened, or better, someone.

"Vulpine Alert! Vulpine Alert! Priority One: kill the two-tailed rat!"

"Oh, how kind of you." Said the "two-tailed rat" to the SWATBots.

Eggman still had a grudge over the kid, he didn't quite love the idea of having a rival.

The bots started shooting at him with their blaster rifles, Tails was able to dodge them by barely inches. When together and well equipped, this hunk of junks were no joke. Luckily for him, the vulpine had trained very hard in the last 4 years in order to achieve his current level of reflexes. While dodging the shots, Miles quickly thought of a plan of action, he rose in air with his namesakes and performed an aerial kick to the head of the first bot in reach, than he used the corpse as a cover for some of the shots, after that he launched himself over another bot but than rose once again in air while the shots that were following him blasted the unfortunate metal jerk, instead.

2 gone, 3 to go.

Stupidly, the remaining SWATBots shot at the aerial kit at the same time and their collective blasts collided to each other while inevitably missing the uncatchable fox. The small explosion blinded their visual systems for a few seconds, just like the kid had predicted and that was all he needed.

With a few massive aerial kicks and powerful tail lashes (he used his own tails as weapons to), the bots became nothing more than scrap metal for the junkyard.

"No sweat." Said the confident, yet not arrogant, vulpine warrior.

At this point, he's attention was directed to the poor unfortunate girl laying in the soft grass of the forest. He approached her fast enough to see what she was.

To see this being in person was definetelly a different story that seen her on videotape. She was a young, candid brown / white skinned girl, she wore a greenish dress with leaf like long skirt and a red gem on her chest. She had short leaf green hair with curious rosebuds on the sides, yet to blossom. All in all, she looked like… A plant! But what shocked Tails even more, was her wounded leg and not for the fact that it was in a bad shape but because of that blood… That unusual green blood.

Incredibly worried for her well being, the boy took her soft, surprisingly light weighted body and headed to the base. She needed immediate medical attentions, fortunately Amy was also a nurse.

Unknown by the young hero, a floating camera had registered the entire event. This camera had a very recognizable mark on it: a red face with a giant mustache, the mark of the Eggman Empire.

* * *

**Elsewhere.**

"Those guys weren't exactly a challenge, where they?" Said a tired, yet very proud Amy Rose while holding her trademark giant Piko Piko Hammer on here shoulder.

"I've burnt things less inflammable than this amateurs." Said, of course, Blaze, still flaming hands.

They stood in front of a sad pile of metal junk (former SWATBots, naturally), pretty satisfied for their handy work.

"Ehi Amy?"

"What?"

"Your wrist communicator in vibrating."

"Oh! Hold on."

The wrist communicators (or wc… Which was a pretty embarrassing pun, to say the least), was another brilliant idea of Tails, so he could keep himself in constant contact with his colleagues.

"AMY! COME BACK TO BASE QUICK! IT'S AN EMERGENCY!" Cried the agitated kit in the receiving end.

* * *

**A few minutes later.**

"Green… Blood. OH MY CHAOS! IT'S AN ALIEN!!"

"THIS IS NO TIME FOR STUPID JOKES, AMY! DO SOMETHING FOR HER LEG! I DON'T WANNA LOSE HER!"

"All right! All right! I'll save your girlfriend."

At this, the youngster blushed a little.

"What… What are you saying?"

"You know? It's almost 8 o'clock, you should go home. You don't want to irate your mama, do you?"

"She'll understand. This is too important. Sigh. I'll end up grounded for two months."

**An hour of loving cure later.**

the young plant like female was sleeping serenely in her bed (in Amy's bed, for the sake of clarity) her leg was bandaged and would heel in time. The question remains: who or what was she? But the answer could wait her awakening, for now, she needed rest.

"Poor thing. She's been through a lot of pain lately, and I'm not only talking about her wound…" Amy was capable of great perceptivity when she wanted.

Espio nodded in agreement and then resumed to his usual activity, which was meditation and other ninja stuff.

Tails never ceased to look at her form. There was something in her that really fascinated him but he couldn't say what, at the moment. While he was distracted by his thoughts, Blaze and Amy were immersed in a review of the latter events.

"…And when I smashed that stupid bot's head with my hammer and than danced on his rotten metal hips, that was hilarious!"

"Indeed we had fun with those 10 idiotbots."

At this remark, something in the Kitsune's mind suddenly clicked.

"You said you destroyed 10 robots?"

They looked at him strangely for a moment, than responded positively.

"There were 20 bots that entered the forest and I smashed 5 of them…"

At that statement, a sick sad realization hits.

"THAT MEANS THAT THERE ARE STILL 5 SWATBOTS GOING LOOSE IN THE MYSTIC RUINS!!!"

Without even awaiting an order, Espio launched himself over the computer console to check out all the zone cameras… Only to find nothing, they disappeared, somehow.

Than a cold, chill sensation crossed the young kit's spine, there was only a zone that haven't a hidden camera, basically for privacy motives, the north-east zone, the one that bring to the great cliff… Were his house was!

Without saying a word, without a single breath, Tails rushed out of the base to the direction of his parents home.

"What happened to him?" Asked a bewildered Amy.

No one responded. Espio's face was corrugated and more serious than ever. He knew what the kit's preoccupation was.

* * *

In all of his life, he has always been fast. Fast in learning, fast in thinking, fast in running… He was considered the fastest in Mobius. For all of his young life, he believed that. This time, however, things were a little different, for the first time he truly believed not to be fast or intelligent enough. He should have known, he should have imagined, he should have a lot of things, that was what he's mind was telling him, tormenting him with. All in all, Miles "Tails" Prower seemed more the child that his age suggested he was… He was insecure, he was crying.

And he, finally, reached his home… His burning, flaming, dead home.

That was pretty much it: the painful, unbearable prove that nobody is perfect, no matter how intelligent, strong or… Birth gifted, everybody makes mistakes and now young Miles knew that he committed a very big one and in his mind he would never, EVER be capable to forgive himself. It was such a terrible weight to carry for anyone… Especially for an 8 years old kid, even if he didn't have a common childhood.

And he collapsed on his knees.

And cried out loud, consumed by pain, sorrow and a sudden strong desire for vengeance.

"Vulpine Alert! Vulpine Alert! Prio--"

The SWATBot didn't even had the time to finish it's sentence that it's metallic black armored body got mercilessly slashed into pieces by a very enraged and desperate fox cub. The other 4 bots remained followed their comrade's very own fate…

"Wha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!"

This laugh, he could recognize this demented laugh anywhere.

"EGGMAN!!!!!" Cried the vulpine but to no avail, since the voice was registered on a tape that a floating radio, marked with the Eggman Empire, was playing.

"Dear Miles, if you're listening to this message than it means that you found out that my bots had successfully found your home, killed your worthless parents and burnt your place of living… And I want you to know that I had great pleasure in watching this awesome show through one of my floating cameras… The very same camera that spotted YOU, little pest! Did you really think that you and your stupid kind could escape my grip? HA! I could find you anywhere, I am your worst nightmare and you shall pay for even daring to come to this miserable world from that whore that your mother was!"

Tails's fists were clenching tightly… Almost bleeding.

"Well… Now that I have your complete and utter attention. I want to propose you an offer that you cannot refuse. You see, Miles, you and your little pest friends are currently in possession of something really dear to me… My little plant. I want it back, Miles and you want me to bring her back, because if you won't have her back, than I'll be forced to ERADICATE Station Square and it's surroundings from the map and you know I can, I stood low for a while but I never ceased on working on new weapons, you know? If you won't give me back what it's rightfully mine for the end of this week than I'll have no choice and kill everybody. AND IT WILL BE ALL YOUR FAULT, JUST LIKE YOUR PARENTS DEATH!!! WHA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!"

The Kitsune couldn't take it anymore and reduced the radio to shreds.

"I. WILL. KILL. YOU. EEEEEEEEEEEEEGGGGGMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNN!!!!!!!"

Once again… The pain was unbearable.

Tears blinded his vision.

Rage filled his heart.

It didn't matter what the bastard was up to. He would have never fall for his schemes. He would have never accepted defeat from the round murderer. But right now, he was completely devastated.

After a while, Tails noticed that he wasn't alone. Espio was there, standing besides him, with concern and masked sorrow in his eyes.

"He did it, Espio. He finally did it… He killed my mom. He killed my dad. All because of my stupidity." Tearful young eyes.

Espio stood there in silence.

"I-I will never see them again, do you understand me? They're gone. GONE!!!"

Espio didn't do anything.

"And w-what was the last thing I told my mom? I told her 'yeah, whatever'. I COULD I BE SO IDIOT!"

Espio still staring at him.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU LOOKING AT!? SAY SOMETHING! SAY SOMETHING, DAMN IT!!!"

Instead, the purple ninja offered his hand at the young broken fox, he accepted it and rose. For the next few minutes, he stood there, crying on Espio's chest while the older was comforting him. After this deserved outburst, the younger dried his tears and a new look of determination took place instead. Espio managed a small smile of understanding and the kit silently thanked him… Just for being there.

Sometimes the best words are the silent ones.

To complete this picture of utter sufferance, a rain would have been perfect, even only for extinguish the flames, which were still high. Instead, it was a quiet, warm night, the one that usually follows a warm, sunny, happily day. It was in moment like this that Nature seemed to have a sadistic sense of humor…

For the rest of the night, the former house of the once happy Prower family, burnt high in the sky…  
Just like pure, untainted, rage.

The rage of a burning soul.

Pun intended.


	3. Chapter 3

**3.**

**_Run._**

**_Run faster._**

**_Don't stop._**

**_These were the thoughts of a little lost girl._**

**_They're coming. They're near._**

**_Hurry._**

**_Indeed, they were coming for her. She was lost. Tired. Terrified… Alone._**

**_While running, she could still see the faces. Her parents. Smiley and reassuring at first. Battered and lifeless than. And now it was her turn._**

**_Run._**

**_Run faster._**

**_Don't stop._**

**_Must find the Freedom Fighters. Must live!_**

**_And now they surrounded her. She was trapped and hopeless. She was as good as dead._**

**_But not alone. Someone came for her… Someone killed the shadows… Someone saved her._**

**_She could see him clearly. It was a fox. A kid of her age or so. His sapphire eyes. She felt protected. She felt safe…_**

**_But than, she felt another shadow… A big, scary shadow behind the Kitsune's back._**

**_Sorrow._**

**_Hate._**

**_Rage._**

**_Once again, she was terrified._**

* * *

She was having a nightmare, no doubt about it. She was agitated and mumbling something incoherently. Only a few words happened to be comprehensible: Mom, Dad, The Shadows, Freedom Fighters and Run… She was, indeed, troubled.

At the right side of her bed, her savior was keeping an eye on her, caressing her soft green hair and trying to comfort her sleep. The Kitsune's day has not been one of the best of his life, in fact, to say that it was his worst would be considered an understatement. He has just lost his parents. They have been killed by a crazy dictator emperor-of-the-world-wanna-be just for heck of it, just for get it back at the kit. Plus, the mad scientist has threatened to destroy an entire city unless he got back "his little plant". Of course, Tails knew of who Eggman was talking about… The questions were the usual: why he needed her? How the doctor was going to destroy a city who happened to be the most impregnable in the Mobian country? And why he conceded a week of time for accepting his "proposition"? Perhaps, just perhaps, some, if not all of these rather interesting questions, would find an answer when she would awake from her nasty dreams… Until than, the kit would have never abandoned her side. Again, there was this sensation that he had toward her, but he couldn't quite recognize it at the moment.

He would, eventually.

* * *

The main room of the F.F. Mystic Ruin Operational Base was, right now, quite crowded. All of it's inhabitants (except for their leader and Tails) were in it, watching and talking at the computer's big screen.

"So… He threatened to eradicate Station Square if his request would not be fulfilled? That's sound like an empty menace, even for Eggman."

"It's what we thought at first but you know that the doctor has been quite silent until today, maybe he has come out with something new…"

"I understand your preoccupation, Blaze, that's why I contacted our field agent, he should be able to call me back in an hour or so."

"That would be wonderful, princess Acorn."

"I'm not a princess anymore, Amy, please don't call me like that."

Sally Acorn, former member of the royal House of Acorn, which was the ruler of the city-state of Mobotropolis before the coming of Eggman, was well known for being a strong woman. She was the one who created the F.F. Militia and her importance was fully recognize in both Mobius and the United Federations (the human countries, also known as Overland), she was no more a princess, that was true, but her accomplished merits were far greater than her old role. After the rise of the Eggman Empire, all the Mobian regions decided to become one whole nation, Mobius of course, in order to be stronger and better prepared to counter attack Eggman's robotic menaces.  
This young nation was currently ruled by a 5 persons council, each member of this lodge has been chosen by his / her merits or political position:

Geoffrey St. John, an old Mobian skunk, a military general and war veteran. The oldest member of the council.

Antoine Depardieu. A coyote. Son of a very influential politician. His membership was practically a birth right.

Maximillian Acorn. The former monarch of Mobotropolis.

And of course, his daughter, Sally Acorn, the only woman in the lodge.

The last member was strictly recommended by G.U.N. itself. It was not a Mobian, he was a human by the name of Snively Robotnik. Officially, his position in this council was for guaranteeing the respect of the rights of the resident humans in Mobius. In reality, G.U.N. didn't like the idea of a unite Mobian nation, their fear was that a unite nation of Anthros would be able grow too strong. For that reason the insisted, or better, demanded, a human in the lead along with other Mobians. Since it was in the national interests not to cause a diplomatic accident, the newly born Mobian council accepted the compromise…

Right now, however, the matters were different. Sally Acorn's face was visibly troubled, not only for the worrying news she just received but for the conditions of her favourite soldier too…

Since the day they met, the day in which she and her father were saved from those Badniks by the unexpected courage of a young fox cub, Sally and Tails became very close. She wanted to know better her little hero and he found his first friend. In a certain way, one could say that they become close enough to be considered brother and sister. No wonder that the squirrel lady was concern about Tails's conditions and the fact that he wasn't present at the current meeting was preoccupying her even worse. Although her feelings, the good of her people came first.

"I've just informed my father and the rest of the council about the situation and a decision will be taken. I'll call you later for further informations. Farewell… And bring my salutations to young Miles." She said with a bit of sadness in her eyes, before closing the communication.

"Now what?" Asked an unusually non-obnoxious Amy.

"We wait and burn some time." Responded Blaze before realizing how bad and inappropriate her pun was… Tails had just witnessed his family's death through a raging inferno of flames. All of a sudden, she felt horrible for having those powers… Those cursed powers that she'd never asked for. The very same powers that caused her and the others so much pain in the past…

"Will you excuse me for a moment?" Said the feline woman with a hint of sorrow and than she left the room.

"Blaze…" Whispered Amy under her breath, somehow understanding.

Espio muttered something too.

They were all in the same boat. They all had a past from which they were desperately trying to escape.  
When Sally Acorn created the F.F. she was no more than 12. Most of current members of the Militia were no older than 18. The eldest were under 25. Amy and Tails were the youngest. They were children, orphans of the war against the Eggman Empire. Victims of one man's ambitions and will to destroy and… Basically, the only hope of an entire nation. It was quite a weight, indeed.

For the next few minutes, a soft, low cry could be heard from the room of the cursed young fiery cat known as Blaze.

All victims. All unwilling heroes. All cursed.

* * *

He was tired. Not physically but mentally. How could you blame him for that. He wanted to sleep  
(or perhaps, to awake from this nightmare that his life was) but found himself incapable of. This girl in front of him was his responsibility. A lot of things crossed his mind over the past few hours… Feelings of guilt, hate, sorrow, even denial. Than his head started to trick him, saying that it was everyone else's fault. It was Amy and Blaze's fault for not telling him immediately how many robots they smashed, it was Espio's fault because he wasn't wise enough with those damn cameras, it was the leader's fault for not being here when he was needed… And finally, this female, this… Plant! It was mostly her fault, if she didn't conducted those SWATBots in the forest, if she wasn't here in the first place maybe his parents… NO! He couldn't allow such thoughts. He was a rational, calm mind, the loss of his family was tragic but he was a soldier, a very young one but still a soldier and he couldn't blame the others for the past events, especially this sweet, innocent girl (here's that sensation again) or the other F.F…. His only family.

Lost in his thoughts for a few seconds, Tails didn't at first notice a very interesting development of the situation… His guest was finally awake.

She was set on the bed, staring at him in silence, one could say in admiration, trying to memorize every single element of his face and body. The face of her hero, yet… The face of someone who suffered a lot. Just like her. This girl had a gift, a curse in her opinion, that she had since her birth. She could read a person's soul through this very person's eyes. That is what she was trying to do. She felt lost in his deep blue eyes, so beautiful in her opinion and yet, so painful… Those weren't the eyes of a kid, those were the old eyes of a war veteran.

And there was something behind them that she was missing, his deepest, hidden feelings. She couldn't reach them… Nor she wouldn't.

For the first time, the Kitsune was able to look in her eyes… Her gorgeous, amazing, azure eyes, similar at his own. He was speechless.

For the next few awkward minutes, the two childs stared at each other without saying a word, almost in fear of ruining such a moment…

Finally, Tails decided to break the ice.

"Uhm… Ehi, are you… Ok?" Asked the vulpine.

She didn't responded. She was still lost in his eyes.

"Ehrrrrr… You know, you had this bad wound and… But you're safe now."

She acknowledged his voice this time… And by that I mean she abruptly came out from her trance almost shocked.

Now the fox kit was a little taken aback by her reaction but didn't lost his will.

"My name is Miles Prower, do you understand me?"

She nodded. At least, she knew his own language.

"What happened to you?"

She tried to say something but found it impossible. The words were frozen in her throat.

**_Great, another Espio._** Thought Tails.

**_Maybe she's just shy. Perhaps she never met someone different from her… Ehe. I can quite understand that. Let's proceed for steps, than._**

"What's your name?"

Again, she tried to answer but all that came out was a series of noises.

"Ehi, ehi, that's ok. No rush. Relax. You will tell me when you feel like, ok?"

He put a hand on her shoulder and look again in her beautiful eyes. He acted so reassuring, she felt good and protected… Reassured, protected, that was something that she desperately needed. She relaxed and smiled.

Been able to make her smile was a great relief for the kit and somehow his heart reacted to this wonderful feeling.

"As I said before, you are safe, now. You are in the Freedom Fighters base."

She couldn't believe it! She actually made it. She was on the verge of tears.

Tails noticed this and, as the loving and caring person that he was… He hugged her.

She hugged him back as well. Affect was another thing that she desperately needed. She let herself go at this point. She cried softly on his shoulder, emotions of fear and relief were incased in her tears. The boy caressed gently the back of her head. Now he knew for sure what he had to do… No matter the risks, no matter the danger, he would protect this innocent being, he would kill himself before letting that Eggman freak to lie one single finger on her. He spoke softly at her ear.

"No one is going to hurt you. I will protect you, I promise."

She cried even more and reinforced her embrace. She was happy to know that.

For the first time since the event that brought her in the forest… She felt safe.

"C-C-C.."

"What?"

"C-C-Cos-s-s-mo."

"Excuse me?"

"M-m-my n-n-name… Is C-Cosmo."

"Cosmo… That's a beautiful name!"

"T-t-thanks… M-Miles?"

"My friends call me Tails. Since we are friends now, just call me Tails."

"F-f-friends?"

"Yep."

"O-ok. Thank you T-Tails."

"You're welcome."

They stood there for another 15 minutes without saying another word. One crying. The other consoling.

Two suffering souls that found strength in each other.

Two unique individuals.

* * *

After a while, Sally Acorn called back. The F.F. were already reunited in the room, even Tails and Cosmo.

Amy Rose, as the naturally happy and caring person that she was, befriended with the new girl almost immediately. She had the honor to introduce to her the whole group, Cosmo, however, remained shy all the time and saluted the others without saying anything…

Espio was fine with that.

Blaze was a little insecure about this girl, after all, they knew nothing about her kind or her provenience and the fact that she wasn't exactly talkative only improved her suspicions… But than, she noticed Tails's eyes when he looked over Cosmo. He looked so bright and alive, so innocent… Just like kids of his age were supposed to be. She understood what was going on and sighed. If the boy trusted her, than she could trust her too.

When the magnetic and serious face of Sally Acorn met Cosmo's, the younger girl started shaking, obviously a little worried about those inquisitive eyes, and grab Tails's arm tightly in search of protection. Tails reassured her.

"Don't worry Cosmo, she's my friend too. I trust her with my life. She's not gonna hurt you."

This last sentence had a positive effect in both the girls heart. Cosmo felt immediately reassured, she clearly trusted the Kitsune with all of herself, and Sally cried internally, deeply moved by the kid's considerations toward her.

The squirrel gave a long, good look at the plant girl and concluded one thing.

"I've never seen someone like her in my life and I've been everywhere… Dis she already tell you where she came from?"

"The only thing she let me know was her name but give me some time and she will eventually tell me  
More."

"That's the problem, Miles, we don't have so much time, just 6 days, before a possible Ragnarok like scenario."

"Speaking of which, did your spy contact you?" Asked Blaze.

"Of course he did. He's waiting on a protected line, you may want to hear from he first hand."

With that said, Espio moved on the secondary line and the image that appeared on the screen was scary enough to cause Cosmo to faint.

"COSMO!!" The Kitsune cried his preoccupation.

"Ehe! I still have that effect on ladies." Said Sally Acorn's personal infiltrated spy.

Sir Charles Hedgehog (or Uncle Chuck as Sally used to call him), was the Acorn's family closest friend and councilor, he and Maximillian grow up together and he was there when Sally came to this world. His life, just like any other's, went through a twist when Eggman started his demented plots, 10 years ago. Unlike the others, however, Chaos had other plans for his future…

Uncle Chuck and his family happened to live in the Green Hill Zone, the very first place that Eggman's Badniks attacked. It was a massacre, people were burnt alive or shot at the spot, even Chuck's family found death, except for his youngest nephew which somehow escaped and disappeared for good. Some of the inhabitants were captured alive, including the light blue hedgehog, and became the first prisoners of the so called Eggman Empire… And than, the first lab experiments.

It's not a very well known thing, as a matter of fact it's considered no more than a legend, mostly because the confirmation of such rumor could very well result in a massive uncontrollable hysteria of all the world's population. For this reason both G.U.N. and the Militia wanted this voices to remain voices. One thing was sure though, if Sir Charles and the others that were captured in that tragic day would know what the good old doctor had in store for them… They certainly would have killed themselves, instead.

The thing about Badniks is that this animal like robots required a full living organism (little animals usually) in order to function… The only problem was that the little animals life length wasn't really high and the bots would have stop working once their main source of power would die.

And that's when a brilliant idea came in the doctor's deranged mind.

Instead of putting living beings into machines… Turning living beings IN machines!

On that tragic day, Sir Charles Hedgehog and the other unlucky subjects were the very first victims of the most ominous instrument of pain ever known by Man or Mobian…

The Roboticizer.

Since it was just a prototype at the time, most of the unwilling subjects died, not without going through a lot of unbearable pain… In the end, Chuck was the only one who was capable to survive the robotization process, at least physically.

He was Eggman's first success with this new technology. The creation of mindless mechanical slaves from living things would have, indeed, incremented the production of war machines for his army at absolutely no cost! And it was sadistically fun too.

Luckily, the first prototype of the Roboticizer wasn't perfect and Chuck's mind was somehow capable of escaping the numbness of the mechanical hibernation. The rest went out pretty well, thanks to his current position inside the very heart of the Empire (the former city-state of Mobotropolis), the now metallic blue hedgehog became a spy and was able to inform the Militia and the Council about Eggman's main schemes. It was also thanks to him that the F.F. along with G.U.N. were able to momentarily stop the advance of the mad doc's army and free some of the cities.

And now, his help was required more than ever.

The robotizied hedgehog was standing in the computer's screen from his hidden sub-base in the Empire's capitol. His red eyes were staring at the little fainted plant girl in Tails's arms.

"So, it's true. A new life form. That's amazing! Anyway, tell her than I'm sorry, when she awake."

On the outside, Chuck was smiling as he usually does. On the inside, instead, things were different.  
He knew he was different, it wasn't his fault of course but he knew that his appearance would have always caused such a reaction on other people. That was the tragedy of his life, a tragedy that he would have to deal with… Alone. He didn't tell anybody about this but there was another reason of why he became a spy: he didn't want to live the Eggman nation. He understood that the outside world would have never accepted him as a real living person, they would always pointed at him, persecuted him, hated him, and he didn't want that. Maybe it was cowardice, maybe a stoical sacrifice, no one is really bound to know.

"The good old doctor is up to something all right. It's been a full month now that he's working on something… 'Something that will bring death and destruction anywhere in this blasted planet', that's what he said. Unfortunately I still don't know what that would be, it's a secret that he's keeping for himself and that's the scary part, he usually loves to brag!"

"It must be a deadly serious thing, than." Muttered Amy, not quite under her breath.

"He called it… Project: Doomsday."

Despised the obviously unoriginality of the project's name, it was still capable of sending shivers through the Mobians spines.

"I'll try to gain more informations about it but I can't do to much. As for your plant problem…"

Tails didn't quite like how the old Robohog was referring to Cosmo, which was still out cold.

"… It's a darn mess indeed. I'll hack Eggman's computer systems in search of something useful. It's pretty obvious that you can't give that girl back to the old fatty, not only because he is a sadistic psychopath who loves to torture innocent living beings just for fun… But also because the kid seems to be pretty damn important to him and anything that could be useful to him, could be dangerous to us."

Uncle Chuck's reasoning was flawless as usual.

"Very well, Sir Charles. Thank you." Said politely, Tails. With that said, the screen left Chuck's frequency and returned to Sally's.

"Unfortunately the Council is yet to make a decision so, for now, you'll have to baby sit the little girl."

At Sally's words, the young fox cub's face lightened a bit. He actually wanted to look for Cosmo.

"Uhm. Miles, can I talk to you for a moment… In your private line?" Asked Sally.

Tails sighed.

"Sure. Amy, will you put Cosmo in her bed?"

"You mean MY bed."

"Fine! Put her in MY bed, in MY room!"

"Awwww… How cute of you." Giggled Amy.

"Just do it, for Chaos's Sake!" And she did.

After that, Tails exited the base, set on an old log and switched on his wc (wrist communicator). An holographic image of Sally Acorn materialized.

"Tails, honey, how are you? I missed you so much!" Said the TRUE Sally Acorn.

When in public, the former squirrel princess was forced to show strength and determination, along with subtle diplomatic manners… But, for the few people that happened to intimately know her, Sally was a caring an emotional person.

And Tails for her, was more than a friend or a hero… He was considered as a family member, he was her little brother… Sometimes he loved him even as mother would do.

But she wasn't. There were no doubts about it. And she knew it.

"I'm so sorry. I wish I could be there for you."

"Don't worry Sally, you are an important person and your people needs you." In truth, the little kit wanted so badly for her to be there in that moment, that he was barely able to contain his tears.

Sally noticed this.

"Tails, honey. I promise, I promise that as soon as I get a free moment I'll rush over there and hug you to death! And don't even try to fake the role of the Macho, I know you want it too!"

Perhaps, Sally was a little too "in your face" sometimes but she was right. He wanted to be hugged, he wanted to be consoled… He wanted his mom and his dad.

He wanted so bad to be himself… A child.

"I'll wait for you, Sally. Thanks."

"What about that girl?"

At this, the kit seemed a little surprised.

"W-what do you mean?"

"You care for her, don't you?"

"W-well of course I do, I'm a Freedom Fighters, I protect who needs to be protected… Plus, she's a friend…"

Sally smiled, her little brother was discovering a whole new feeling. She couldn't help but giggle. Than she became serious once again.

"I'm serious about coming there and be with, Tails, I want you to know that."

"I know."

"I love you, Tails."

He weakly smiled back at her and than switched off his com. Their conversations were usually short but unforgettable none the less.

The Kitsune headed back to the base. While doing do he muttered something under his breath, something that he always wanted to say to Sally but for a reason or another was always shy about it.

4 very simple yet complicated words that perfectly expressed his feeling toward his big sister / surrogate mother…

"I love you too, sis."

And than… It started raining.


	4. Chapter 4

**4.**

Tails hated storms.

It was a thing that he openly despised since his birth. There wasn't a rational or perfectly logical explanation to this fact but than again, grand part of the things that happened, and still happen in this world, went beyond rationality… It was all chaos, indeed.

During these stormy days there wasn't really much to do other than get bored to death and waiting for the tempest to cease.

That's when hobbies come in handy.

Amy Rose was trying to create a new culinary recipe based from her aforementioned cook book. The very same book that belonged to her mother… The only thing that was left of her. For the pink hedgehog, that little, consumed book was the most precious thing she owned and she wanted to try and cook each and every of the delicious meals described in it. One could say that cooking wasn't just an hobby for her… It was her life. She didn't have anything else. No fancy dress to wear, no friends to tell the latest gossips (Blaze wasn't exactly fond with gossips), the only one who actually understood her was that purple chameleon but he would never speak back to her… It was so depressing and in rainy days it was even worse. While not cooking, which was an activity that needed her full concentration, she would dream of finding True Love and all that stuff that a normal girl of her age would normally dream about…

She wanted so bad to find someone to be in love with… Maybe a hedgehog like her.

Blaze was in the gym, practicing her fire spells and combat skills. As a feline, she was naturally gifted with agility and years of training had only improved her abilities… However, without her cursed, unwanted powers she wouldn't been able to survive so far. It was, in fact, thanks to her unique ability that she was able to escape Eggman's grip a couple of years ago.

Ironically enough, if she hadn't this power in the first place… Maybe her family would still be alive.

She immediately rejected that thought, she just couldn't allow herself to be consumed by grief and remorse, she was a warrior and she had a goal.

She was going to fry an egg or burn alive trying… And that was definetelly NOT a pun.

Espio's activity, for once, didn't involved his ninja skills… He was actually doing something useful. It's been 3 days since the leader of the F.F. Mystic Ruins section had left the base for an important expedition in the human countries, Overland, and didn't make a contact ever since. Been the loyal soldier that Espio was, he was starting to worry, humans weren't exactly the most hospital species in the world and many of them were declared xenophobes, especially toward Mobians.  
What worried the reptile even more was the fact that their leader did not tell to any of them the reasons behind his trip, he just told them that he would come back as soon as possible… And that his journey was very important.

Right now Espio was trying to contact his boss but his wc seemed to be out of reach for this base's frequency… That, of course, worried Espio even more but he wasn't going to let the others know.

As previously said, Tails wasn't quite fond with storms, especially with thunders. Oh how he hated them. Right now, he and Cosmo were in the kit's room, trying not to think to the latest Nature's outburst that was roaring outside the base… The two kids were playing (or better, Tails was playing, Cosmo was observing and trying to learn how to play) one of the Kitsune's favourite games.

Being a mechanical genius had it's advantages, especially when it comes to the creation of hobbies and by that I literally mean the creation of stuff that could be useful for such purpose. In this case, a rudimental but still quite brilliant (considering that it was built from nothing) videogame console with incorporated television and games!

To be honest, the console had only one game… A rather difficult and awful looking one. Tails didn't know exactly how he came out with this idea, he only vaguely remembered something that he dreamt a while ago… Something about two moving bars and a little ball that continuously bounce over the two of them for some reason… So he created this game and he called it, "The Weird Game That Vaguely Resembled Ping Pong" or simply "Pong", for shorts.

While the vulpine wonder, controller in hands, was struggling to beat the level, Cosmo was observing him all the time, she was even more fascinated by his sheer determination in the efforts of surpassing that stage, she knew that her protector was a strong willed individual and she admired him with any bit of her being.

She was sweetly smiling at him.

He noticed that and blushed a little… And, of course, the distraction was enough for a sudden, tragic Game Over.

"Darn! I've lost again!" Complained the fox cub.

Cosmo looked sad.

"I-I-I'm s-sorry…" She muttered.

Tails couldn't help but blush even deeper as he was trying to cheer her up.

"Oh come on, that's nothing, really! It's just a stupid game…"

She still looked sad and the kit was running out of ideas.

Suddenly… A thunder exploded

KRAA-THUMP!!!

"AAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGH!!!!" Was the reaction of the now utter frightened two-tailed child which instinctually rose in the air at full speed in an attempt to escape from the noisy menace.

Cosmo was slightly taken aback by this, no wait, that would be an understatement, she was tremendously dumbfounded not only because of the reaction of her vulpine friend at that loud noise but also for the fact that he was actually using his fluffy namesakes to flying!

After a while, the little hero descended again on the floor and than he curled himself into a trembling ball of fur, also using his tails as further cover. He looked so cute and harmless in this state, so genuinely childish (which was his right, after all he was a child) and it was a thing that he hated… He hated to look so weak, so defenseless. Why was he so terrified by thunders? Why was he still so childish? He wasn't a kid, was he? He was a soldier, a Freedom Fighter, for Chaos's Sake! But still… He couldn't ignore his inner cries, he still wanted his mommy.

And he was still shaking like mad.

To Cosmo's view, what was in front of her was definetelly not the mighty, fearless warrior, the super genius and her personal guardian angel that she used to know so far… What was in front of her, curled into a ball of fluffy, trembling fur, was just a kid, a frightened kid that was forced to grow up prematurely and who's life was turned into a living hell, all of because of one cruel individual…

Just like her.

She knew what she had to do, she knew what she wanted to do and she knew what he desperately needed…

Tails wasn't surprised nor he was taken aback, as a matter of fact, he was happy… For the first time in a day, he felt relieved and, dare I say, comforted. For some reason, she had that effect on him. It was appropriate in a way… Earlier that day he had to consol her and now, just a few hours later, it was her turn to comfort him, to make him feel better, just like a true friend would do… A friend? Was she just a friend for him? He didn't know but than again, despise being a genius, he still didn't know a lot of things…

It didn't matter though, right now, all that mattered to him was the fact that she was there for him, hugging him, caressing him, making him forgetting his troubles (although momentarily).

For the first time since his parents death… Tails felt that he was not alone.

And he was very, very thankful for that.

"T-Thank you, Cosmo. I feel better now."

"Y-y-your w-welcome, Tails."

And for the rest of that stormy, merciless night, they slept sweetly hugged to each other, like the innocent kids they were supposed to be…

like the kids they were.

Alone together against the perils of Life.

* * *

**Wednesday morning.**

**4 days before Project: Doomsday.**

After the rain, comes the sun.

It was indeed a bright, warm morning in the Mystic Ruins.

Tails awoke pretty early that morning, he had something very important to do, something that meant a lot to him… He slowly descended from his bed, being very careful not to disturb her friend… that beautiful sleeping angel… Without making noises, he exited the base and headed to the great cliff...

Where his house used to be.

Not very much was left of the once Prower family habitation more than a few burnt woods. The spectacle was, indeed, depressing but in order to successfully move on in his life, the vulpine needed to do one important thing… He had to honor the memory of his beloved parents.

There wasn't very much that he could do, the fire didn't left anything to be buried (and it was better that way) so he simply took a couple of heavy wood branches and, armed only with his patience, a hammer and a scalpel, he built two semi-decent graves and planted them nearby the cliff. He stood there for a while, sighing, perhaps preying Chaos to look for his family's souls wherever they would be. Tears descended from his blue eyes during all this improvised ceremony.

Than his thoughts went back to the current problems: Eggman's latest plot involving a mysterious evil project and his new friend. He didn't know what was in the mind of the rotund jerk but one thing was for sure, he would not be unprepared. With new determination in his soul, Tails went back to the base, specifically to the base's hangar.

"I'll be ready for everything you'll going to throw me, Eggman! We'll see who's the smartest!"

He was a strong kid, no doubt about it.

* * *

Cosmo awoke from her bed only to find out that her friend wasn't there. She wondered for a brief moment where he could have gone than decided to ask it directly to one of the others, or at least she would try to…

Luckily for her, Amy was there to help, as she always does.

"Ehi Cosmo! If you're looking for Tails, you'll find him in our hangar. Espio, be nice and show her the way."

Espio snorted loudly but obeyed none the less.

Cosmo and Espio were quite a couple. One was mute for choice, the other for utter shyness and both sustained a mental trauma…

On their way to the hangar, the young plant would eventually stare at the chameleon in curiosity, only to abruptly lower her gaze once the sever eyes of the ninja looked back at her. For a while, she wondered what was lying behind those cold eyes of him but she realized that she really didn't want to know. She was afraid of him and he knew it.

And there it was, the hangar. Espio left her on the door and went back to his usual affairs. Cosmo entered and was stunned for what she found in it.

She have never seen an airplane in her entire life and now she was looking at the most advanced combat biplane in all of Mobius, the X-Tornado!

Tails was in the cockpit, probably tinkering with some wires, when he spotted her presence in the place.

"Oh, hi Cosmo, have you slept well?"

She nodded in response and smiled. That made him smile too.

"Isn't this plane awesome? I built it myself you know?" He was obviously trying to impress her, just like any boy would do with a girl he liked… Here's that sensation again.

And she was really impressed. Her azure eyes were glowing in excitement. Tails smirked within himself.

"So… Would you like a ride?"

She locked her gaze on him as if she didn't caught the question or for fear that she got it wrong.

Tails laughed.

"I'll take it as a 'hell yeah'!"

The kit flew down the cockpit and gently grabbed her in bridal style. She was blushing a little for that. Than flew up again and delicately positioned her in the passenger's sit.

"Ok, put these on."

He gave her a pair of goggles and put on a pair for his own. They looked briefly at each other and giggled a little, they looked so funny with those things on.

A roaring motor.

An opening hangar.

An excited laugh.

A nervous giggle.

And the X-Tornado was high in the blue sky above the Mystic Ruins. The two childs were having the time of their life, they were actually having fun not just because of the great feeling that the soft wind was giving to their fur / hair but also for the simple fact of being together… That was a very special moment indeed.

The Tornado landed in a secluded, secret area known only by few, specifically, known by Tails. The trees around this zone were so thick that the only way to enter it was by flying in it and so Tails did.

Ancient ruined buildings of a forgotten civilization laid in the grass, covered by vegetations and parasite plants. A treasure for any archeologist, for Tails and Cosmo, however, it was just a very good spot.

"This is my secret place, I come here every time I need a moment for myself. I discovered it a few years ago during a routine flight… From now on, it will be OUR secret place. Do you like it?"

She was astonished and delighted, not for the fallen ruins but for the overall beautiful plants and flowers that spread all around the area. She started to laugh and dance happily around, caressing the plants, swimming in the flower field…

He watched her the all time and with every minute of doing so, his feelings toward her were growing.

There she was… A beautiful, perfect flower among flowers… His flower. She seemed so peaceful, without any caring in the world, so angelic.

An idea was crossing the young vulpine's mind as he silently approached her. She looked back at him and noticed that he was grinning evilly. That worried her a little and she decided to take some step back… But it was too late! Without a warning, without giving her the time to flee, Tails started tickling her.

She laughed madly while trying to escape but he wasn't giving her that chance and continued to tickle her mercilessly. That until they both tripped and rolled for a few meters in the flower field, laughing all the time. They finally reached a stop and for a few sweet, awkward seconds they stood there, Tails above Cosmo, staring into each other's eyes. They both abruptly snapped from that trance and they both were now blushing madly.

"S-S-sorry… Here." He helped his friend to a standing position.

They remained silent for a moment than Tails noticed something that immediately caught his attention and motioned the girl to follow him.

It was a rare plant, a small tree, no more than 4-5 feet tall. Nobody, not even the most eminent botanists have been able to determine this plant's species or provenience, it simply appeared on this planet several millenniums ago. It was a whole new life form, it was unique… Just like her.  
This little miracle was also famous for those juicy fruits that it used to produce. There were stories… Legends, more than anything that said that this fruit had a main role in the evolution of the feral foxes into the anthropomorphic intelligent ones.

"You know Cosmo? Someone said that the common quadruped fox, in it's attempt to grab this very fruit, learned how to stand on his feet, leading to the evolution of his species into mines. In other words, I exist only because one of my feral ancestors wanted to eat a fruit that badly! I think it's kinda funny, don't you? Nature has it's ways…"

She agreed.

**_Foxes are determined creatures by nature. _**She thought and giggled inside.

And it was true.

And than, before their very eyes, the flower from one of the fruits hanging on one the many plant's branches, released something that immediately fell to the ground.

Tails kneeled himself and picked it. It was a seed, a new unborn child ready to experience the miracle of Life. He gave the seed to a rather fascinated Cosmo, which was holding it in her hands.

"That seed will become a plant just like this one but we must buried it, first."

Cosmo agreed and lowered herself in order to do so.

"Good!" Cried happily Tails.

Cosmo was about to say something of her own when…

THUMP!

It was true that the most precious moments were also the shortest. This one's spoiler was a gigantic fighting mech armed with big claws and bad intentions.

There were no words to describe the utter shock in Cosmo's eyes when this metallic monstrosity landed behind them seemingly out of nowhere.

Tails, however, had very clear words impressed in his mind. The fact that really preoccupied him was not the artificial beast itself (although it was an all the way scary sight) but the peculiar mark that it had on itself… A single giant "G". This mech was not one of Eggman's…

It was G.U.N.'s.

That thing's name was "Big Foot", the most enhanced and powerful robot in the human's arsenal, a full armed Big Foot was capable to destroy 100 Badniks in just a few minutes… This thing was one of the reasons behind the recent victories over the Empire and it's sudden stop. Fortunately, this wasn't a war model, it was a scouting model, a type used specifically for researches through certain areas and / or for retrieving objects… The question was: why it was here?

Cosmo was shaking madly at the view of this probable menace and covered behind Tails, who was standing tall in front of the machine, not showing signs of fear. After all, he promised to protect the girl, didn't he?

"Cosmo…"

She was facing him.

"… Get out of here." He said quietly.

She looked in his eyes (which never moved from the bot) and knew that he was dead serious about it… And determined. She started moving in a random direction hoping to find shelter. The mech's giant head immediately turned in her direction confirming the kit's suspects… It wanted Cosmo!

"If you want her… You'll have to KILL me first."

The mech's gaze returned into Tails's.

Tails knew that this things were no joke but since it was just a scouting model, he had a chance. Just like any mindless cliché movie robots, the Big Foot had a rather obvious weak point… It's legs. If the Kitsune could take even one of it's leg than he would be able to take out the rest.

Of course it was easier said than done but, than again, it was always that way, wasn't it?

The mech launched one of it's claws toward the Kitsune only to hit the ground, Tails was already in air, he than landed on that very claws and started running on the giant battle robot's prolonged arm in the direction of the cockpit (the head). The Big Foot tried to hit the vulpine with it's other arm but, again, the fox was too fast and jumped out of the way only to land graciously behind the bot after performing a perfect aerial somersault. For a moment he was entertaining the idea of lowering himself over an inexistent crowd for receiving his applauses… But than he thought that it was a very idiotic thing to do and decided otherwise.

Now the mechanical douchebag was REALLY mad, when it tried to punch Tails with it's other arm he ended up destroying the arm where the cub was running on!

For an instant, Tails's mind was lost thinking of an appropriate joke to deliver to his opponent… But he found the thing rather stupid and worthless. This thing was too serious, he was protecting the girl of his dreams, for Chaos's Sake!

**_... Did I really think of Cosmo in that way? Was this that sensation that I had since I met her? I wish I knew._**

While distracted in thinking of Cosmo in… That way, Tails almost got punched by the left claw of the Big Foot, luckily enough, the kit's instincts came in handy once again allowing him to avoid a deadly pinch. At this point, the vulpine wonder spun his twin tails and started floating in circle around the mech at high speed, confusing it's A.I. and almost giving it the robotic version of a headache. The giant tried one desperate punch only to miss him again and, due to a sudden lack of balance, it fell on one of it's knees.

Tails took this chance and, with a lot of efforts, he managed to kick the other leg at full speed with all the strength his propelled tails could grant him.

The metal behemoth fell on the ground unceremoniously, the Kitsune warrior than jumped on it's head and started smashing it until the Big Foot ceased to function… He actually did it.

"Phew… Well, that went easier than I've expected."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGH!!!"

Tails's head abruptly turned to see the fount of this scream.. And what he saw was enough to freeze his blood.

Another Big Foot came out from nowhere and was about to hit Cosmo!

They say that when one soul is experiencing true terror, time tends to slow down… In Tails's case, time seemed frozen. He was standing there, mouth agape, wide eyed, watching his friend, his sweet precious flower, the one he promised to protect with his own life… Only seconds away from facing her doom, her cold, metallic, soulless doom.

And than, just like a blink of an eye, while the world was still in his state of hibernation, Miles "Tails" Prower became an orange blur and, moved by desperation, fear and / or bold courage, darted himself toward the horrified girl.

And than, came the pain. Miles had been able to push Cosmo away at the very last second and took the shot for her.

She could only watch in pure fear her savior / protector / guardian angel's little body getting smashed by a clawed fist and ended up battered on a tree not far in distance. She immediately ran in his aid hoping, preying that he was fine…

He laid face on the ground, he didn't lost his consciousness but was unable to move.

"TAILS! TAILS!! PLEASE, OH PLEASE, BE OKAY!"

The boy couldn't help but smirk, at least this whole experience had unlocked her voice…

"C-Cosmo… You m-must run away, do you hear me? Run.. Away.. From here!"

"NO! I won't leave you here! You saved my life twice and now I'll save yours!" With that said, the now strong willed young girl, delicately took the vulpine on her shoulders, hoping not to further endanger his injuries, and started… Floating.

The fox on her shoulders was able to register the sudden ascension and his mind was invaded by new questions.

"Y-You can fly?"

"Sort of… I can use my petals to catch some wind and rise in the air."

"Cool." Was the simple reply of the kit.

They managed to fly away from the zone but due to the heavy, for her, weight that she was carrying, she was forced to land a few moments later. Unfortunately for them, the Big Foot was quick on their tails (a bad pun, I know) and it was able to fly too. It didn't take long for the metal persecutor to find them, Cosmo was breathless but she tried with all her might to take his boyfriend away from there.

**_Did I really think of him in that way?_**

But all her efforts were pointless since the Big Foot landed exactly in front of her. The situation was desperate, indeed.

"N-NO! STAY AWAY FROM US!"

It was in situations like this, however, that Chaos loves to get involved and rewrite the Story as it like it.

What, in a moment, seemed an all mighty battle robot ready to smash two kids with a grim clawed fist… A mere second later this very piece of fine machinery became a… Piece of fine rubbish.

To say that each an everyone of it's mechanical parts (including the aforementioned clawed fist) were reduced in worthless metal scraps ready for the junkyard, would be an understatement… Yet, it suggested the right way to see it.

Before the young girl's very eyes there were now two things, one was the unrecognizable carcass of the once terrifying G.U.N. mech, the other was the amazingly strong figure of the one that just saved both her and Tails's life.

This person was obviously a Mobian, a rather tall one for the average Anthro, his physical appearance suggested that he was a warrior built for strength and the recent display of it on that unfortunate robot was a further prove of this theory.

His head slowly turned and his cerulean eyes were gazing the two children in front of him.

And she could see him even better, he was a red, hedgehog like creature with dreadlock spines, a pointed nose and with a curios half-moon drawn on his chest.

Tails's gaze rose from Cosmo's shoulders and immediately recognized the unmistakable face and shape of the leader of the F.F. Mystic Ruins section.

"K-KNUCKLES!"

Knuckles the Echidna has finally returned.

"WHAT THE MOTHERFUCKING CHAOS IS GOING ON HERE!!!?"

And he was royally pissed off… As always.


	5. Chapter 5

**5.**

"And that's pretty much it."

"Mmmh… It sure is one Chaosdamned cluster fuck!"

Swearing and yelling for no reason was the normal way to deal with things for Knuckles the Echidna. After his perfectly timed return to the Mystic Ruins, the other F.F. (specifically, Blaze) had to inform their leader of the last developments, including Eggman's latest scheme, Cosmo's arrival and Tails's tragedy. What could be noticed during and after the exposition of the facts was that the red warrior didn't looked dumbfounded or surprised at all… As a matter of fact, he looked uncharacteristically quiet and focused.

In all of his life, Knuckles witnessed things that both humans and Mobians couldn't even imagine, therefore there wasn't a lot of stuff left in this world that could make him jumping in surprise… This time, however, the main reason for his calmness was another…

Blaze, and secretely, Espio, noticed that.

"You Knew?" She asked, or better, she muttered.

"Not exactly… But I saw this coming." Was his simple answer.

At this point, a very reasonable and rightful question came to the collective mind of the F.F.

"Knuckles, why did you go in Overland?" Indeed, a key question.

Knuckles's face became even more serious, if possible. His breath was heavy but contained at the same time, his muscles relaxed.

The echidna started his tale.

"I was asked by Maximillian Acorn him-fuckin-self to go on a spy mission over a dislocated G.U.N. military base right after the confines with Mobius. I wasn't comfortable to do this in the first place, hell! I'm not a freakin' spy and know nothing about being stealthy or whatever the fuck! As you all know, I usually prefer the old "my fist on your nose" way."

A general nodding and sighing concerto followed.

"Anyway, the old chipmunchkin insisted so bad and I haven't very much of a choice, so I accepted. He also said that it was gonna be a dangerous mission and also a secret, not even his own daughter was informed of the think, probably something utterly dangerous or whatever…"

"Why did Sir Acorn not trust G.U.N. in the first place?" Was the naïve question of Amy, as one would expect from her.

"For the very same FUCKIN' reason of why The tiny fox cushion and his little vegetal of a girlfriend were almost busted by one of G.U.N.'s biggest toys… They were up to something and Max suspected it… Ehe! The squirrel was DAMN right to be suspicious!"

"What did you find in the G.U.N. base?"

At this, Knuckles took a very deep breath and clenched his humongous fists. Than, he answered.

"Hundreds… Maybe thousands of full armed Big Foots, enough for reducing an entire nation to ashes. And the worst part was…"

Knuckles had to take another a deep breath before continuing. The tension was slowly killing his interlocutors.

"… The worst part was that they didn't have the G.U.N. symbol on them…"

They were wide eyed, all of them, even Espio. In the bottom of their very souls they could see it now… They could feel it even before Knuckles had to finish his sentence.

He finished it, anyway.

"… They had Eggman's."

Fear was a strong emotion… It could lead to pure terror and apathy or, by overcoming it, to strength and courage. Right now, however, what the young soldiers of an undying conflict were experiencing inside their very hearts, was the most genuine, untainted, form of utter terror that anybody could ever feel.

Fear of defeat.

Fear for their lives.

Fear of death.

Fear for a fate even worse…

Fear for the Roboticizer.

Knuckles, on the other hand, wasn't exactly fond with the idea of becoming a mindless robotic slave for a ridiculously large asshole of an egg shaped human or for anyone else, for what mattered. There was a very precise reason of why the red echidna was chosen as a leader: not only he was a brave, super strong, stubborn enough to take on anyone kind of soldier… He was also a motivator, in his own way of course. He had been able to keep his group unite even in the most hopeless occasions and all he had to do was saying just a few simple words…

"Aaaah, stop being a bunch of PUSSYS!" It worked every time, even on ladies…

The Freedom Fighters faces lightened up at that very familiar remark and a whole new strength became visible in their body language.

"That's more like it." Stated their severe yet proud leader. "We're going to turn that fatty faggot of Eggman into a French Omelette! We shall not surrender! FREEDOM FIGHTERS, WE WILL FIGHT UNTIL THE END!!!"

Blaze, perfectly knowing where this motivational speech was going to end up, added the anticipated remark…

"But… This is madness!" She said already grinning.

"Madness? THIS. IS. MOOOOBIUUUUUUUUUUS!!!!!!" Shouted king Knuckles.

A sudden burst of laughter echoed in all the base. Everybody was laughing madly… Well, everybody except Espio… After all this years he still didn't get this joke nor he wanted to. He simply frowned and sighed.

Knuckles was, indeed, a true leader and his companions were extremely grateful for that.

Suddenly, he became serious again. Now that he successfully dealt with the general humor of his group, he had another, more impellent matter to deal with… A certain, young, injured fox boy.

"Espio, I want you to try in contact Sally Acorn or her father… I'll be in Tails's room for a while, do not disturb me unless it's an emergency."

Espio nodded obediently and started tinkering with the computer.

The girls just sighed.

Knuckles noticed that and tried to reassure them.

"Don't worry, I won't be harsh with him… As a matter of fact, I will actually try to be…" He closed his eyes and tighten his fists "… Nice." That took a lot of efforts for him to say.

Both Amy and Blaze stared at him with an expression that was saying: "Awww, how sweet and understanding of you."

"SHUT UP!!!" He became even more red.

Emotions… How he despised them!

* * *

The pain was stinging, perhaps even more that he was letting her to see.

She silently cried all the time. He hated to see her in that emotional state, more than his wounds.  
He eventually would tell her not to be sad, that he was fine but she wouldn't be convinced of it, not at all…

"It was all my fault! I'm sorry. I… I just… I…"

"It's okay Cosmo, it was that metal moron who punched me, not you. I'll be ok, I promise."

He was really starting to worry. She seemed to be inconsolable. He just wanted to see her smile again… Her innocent smile.

Tails was in his bed, his torso expertly bandaged by Amy the nurse, he was having some difficulties in breathing but desperately trying to hide his weakness over Cosmo. She was at his right side, holding his hand like if he was about to expire or something… Which, in her view, he was.

In certain moments their gazes would meet each others and their eyes would melt in doing so. Subconsciously, this was becoming there favourite activity… The simple staring, enjoying the company, being together.

This feeling that they both were experiencing since their first meeting, was slowly growing into something completely new…

Something so pure and warming…

Before any of them could register it, their faces were starting to get closer and closer and…

"Ehe! I wish I had a video camera."

The very inopportune comment from the noisy echidna automatically ruined their tender moment, resulting in yet another display of mad blushing.

Knuckles was smirking within himself but immediately got serious again.

As the polite kid Tails used to be, he made the official introductions.

"Cosmo, this is Knuckles the Echidna, our zone leader. Knuckles, this is Cosmo."

"Hello Mr Knuckles, thank you again for saving us."

The dreadlocked warrior nodded in response, than spoke.

"Cosmo, would you excuse us for a moment, I need a word with Tails."

She looked back a her "friend" with a worried expression and the kit motioned her his approval.

Reassured by that, she exited the bedroom, leaving the boys alone.

Knuckles approached the fox boy's bed and set on the chair nearby. He took another long breath, thinking of the right things to say, before opening his mouth.  
"Tails… I know what happened to your parents and... I'm sorry." He said simply. Simplicity was his second name.

The Kitsune acknowledged it and took a long -hurtful- breath for his own. He knew his leader for quite some time now, therefore he perfectly understood that, due to the echidna's education and life, showing even the slightest of emotions and comprehension toward another living being was very hard for him… He appreciated his efforts, none the less.

Now that that was done, Knuckles wanted to discuss more urging matters. For starts, he told the wounded kit what he already told to the others about that suspicious G.U.N. base. As we know, the red soldier wasn't exactly a very soft or sensitive person, therefore when it came to tell bad news to someone, he would always adopt the old fashioned "in your face" approach… Unfortunately, Tails's case was not different.

"AN ENTIRE ARMY OF BIG FOOTS WITH EGGMAN'S LOGO ON THEM!!!!?" Cried out loud the vulpine, further hurting himself.

Knuckles tried to calm him down… And by that I meant he abruptly pinned him on his bed in order to avoid more injuries. Or to cause more.

"Will you fucking relax and try to reason for a damn second!? It is highly improbable that G.U.N. was working for Eggman all this time… Otherwise he would already took over!" Knuckles's reasoning had the desired effect on the boy, which, maybe more in fear of the echidna's namesakes than anything else, started to relax.

"Ok, so… What do we do now?"

"I was about to asking you, YOU are the brainiac here! By the way, Espio is trying to contact the Acorns... We are in a pretty shitty mess here!"

"You could say that…"

"And than… There is that girl."

The last sentence had a major impact in the vulpine's heart that he expected… It was obvious, it was certain that this mysterious girl was hiding something and that they would have to question her sooner or later, his rational part was prepared for that… But his other part, the non-rational one, was now slightly concerned for her…

"What about her?" He replied back.

"Now that her speaking abilities did, miraculously, come back, she'll have to answer a couple of questions." Said Knuckles abruptly.

He wasn't sure why, but he didn't really liked Knuckles's tone on that last statement… As a matter of fact, he truly disliked it. Again, it was his non-rational part who was thinking.

The leader noticed Tails's changed expression… In his opinion, Tails wasn't really good with "Poker Faces".

"Look… I know you like her and all (it is a damn obvious thing) but as far as we know she could not be what she seems…"

"What are you trying to say?" Now, the fox's tone was definetelly harsher.

"Oh come on Tails, I know you're smarter than that! If Eggman wanted her so bad to threaten the disintegration of an entire county than she must be a key part for some of his deviated schemes! She could be his latest weapon or…"

"SHE IS NOT A WEAPON!! SHE IS A LIVING BEING!"

"You don't know that for sure… You don't even know where she came from or her race, for what matter…"

"SO SHE'S A MONSTER ONLY BECAUSE SHE'S DIFFERENT!!!?"

"I didn't say that… AND STOP SCREAMING AT ME, FOR FUCKING CHAOS!!!"

"YOU JUST WANT TO GET RID OF HER! YOU'RE NOT BETTER THAN EGGMAN!!!"

At this, Knuckles's eyes, from cerulean became red… The red color of rage. He was trying, very hard, not to hit the little guy. His fists and muscles were shaking.

Tails noticed his mistake and immediately went for the excuses. He surely didn't want to be on the echidna's bad side.

"S-sorry… I didn't mean that."

Knuckles relaxed.

"I know… It's ok." It wasn't. That remark was hurting him more than he wanted to admit.

"It's just that…"

"You don't want her to suffer anymore."

"……."

"I'm not a cold blooded jerk, Tails. I do understand emotions… Although I don't believe in them."

Tails rolled his eyes.

"But this is not a blasted kid's game, fox boy, this is a war! We can't allow our personal feelings to interfere with our ultimate goal… But rest assured, I have absolutely no intentions or interests in hurting a little girl, especially if my instincts are suggesting me right…"

"Your instincts? You mean…"

"Yeah… I don't really think that she's a weapon or an Eggman's minion. My opinion is that she had something that interests the doctor but also that she is unaware of what that could be. She looks totally defenseless and feeble… But looks can be deceiving. Maybe she have some hidden power or whatever. That's why WE, as in both you and me, need to have an interlocution with her. "

"Wow… I'm surprised, Knuckles. I've always thought you were only good for smashing things randomly and talking trash of everything that has a shadow… Now I know you better."

"Thanks… EHI!!!"

The kit laughed. That little talk with his short tempered yet surprisingly wise leader helped the two of them to reinforce their relationship.

Since the day they met, no more than 4 years ago, when Tails joined the Militia for the first time, this two Mobians's conflicting personalities became immediately noticeable… While Knuckles simply despised the idea of having a whining noisy kid running around the base (or any other living being, for that matter), Tails always complained about the echidna's excessive stubbornness and irrationality. For the Kitsune, the solution for any problem required a cautious and intelligent approach… For the red warrior, however, the best solution to any matter would have been the classic "arrive, kick ass, leave" strategy. A casual observer could say that this two were the exact antipodes… Not quite, they were different yet similar, they completed each other… In some, derailed way.

It was the kind of relationship between a mentor and his apprentice.

It was thanks to Knuckles's intense training sessions that the boy became the strong fighter that he was today, developed his own combat skills and style and reinforced his confidence… All the rest, his heart and soul did.

The kid had passion and courage and his leader / mentor knew it. He knew that since their very first encounter.

The Echidna race was well known in all of Mobius for the sheer strength of their warriors and their battle instincts… One could say that they were like the Mobian version of the Spartans: they were disciplined, physically gifted by Nature and built for honor.

During the first years of the Eggman Empire, they used to be one of the toughest obstacles in it's path… That until the day in which their hidden place was found and leveled by 1000 flying Badniks equipped with missiles and flamethrowers… They attacked by surprise, the echidnas stood no chances.

Males, females and even kids were killed in the spot and the proud and honorable Echidna race almost vanished from the bloody history books of this twisted world… A few of them, however, were able to escape extinction: Knuckles's family.

His father, his mother, his two sisters, Tikal and Julie-Su and, of course, himself.

He had never seen them again after that chaos but he knew that they were still alive somewhere (he had his instincts after all) and he swore to Chaos itself that he would find them, one day… Right after reducing the fat bastard that almost caused the demise of his race, into a crimson pulp!

Oh yes… He would enjoy that moment.

"Knuckles? Are you… Ok?" Asked the vulpine wonder.

Suddenly, the cerulean eyed mauler snapped from his daydream and went back to reality.

"Crap."

"What?"

"Nothing. SHUT UP!"

"I didn't say anything…"

"You did it now."

"But…"

"Zip it!"

"… I was just…"

"Cut it!"

"… Asking…"

"One more word and I'm gonna rip off your tails and sell 'em to a chimney sweeper!"

Tails didn't say another word.

"Good. Now, before we do anything else… I'm going to do something for those stupid injuries of yours. Stay still."

With that said, Knuckles immediately started the healing process… The young soldier's body begun to glow with purple light while his wounds were slowly disappearing.

Having healing powers along with brute strength was, indeed, a helpful (not to mention, convenient) thing. Nobody knew how or when Knuckles got his unique ability but no one had really the nerve to ask him since the last one who tried was still looking for his lost teeth to this very day… As you would imagine, the easily angry echidna wasn't too much of a people person.

"Ok, it's done. You're still not at 100% though so don't do anything risky for at least 2 days."

"I shall follow your advice, oh powerful shaman, mage among mages, keeper of the seven douche bags of…"

"QUIT IT ALREADY!"

Tails loved making jokes about Knuckles's sorcerer like powers…

The kit was once again on his feet, he still felt a little weak but it was an improvement none the less.

"Are you ready?" Questioned the leader with an "all business" kind of face.

"Let's do this!" Was the answer.

It was finally time for having a small chat with a certain plant like girl.

* * *

Awkwardness was the key word. She wasn't used to be in the center of attention and now all the eyes in the room were pointed at her, looking her, staring her, questioning her… She knew this was coming and that she couldn't avoid it.

Her friend was in the room too, somehow miraculously healed. She was happy for that and hardly resisted the urge to hug him for the fear of re-injuring him. He gave a reassuring smile to her and she smiled back… Now she was ready.

After taking a deep breath, she begun the retelling of the traumatic events that brought her in the Mystic Ruins and to the Freedom Fighters…

* * *

**_It all happened in a sunny and warm day._**

**_My family and I used to live in a secluded area known by no outsiders… Or so we thought. I didn't quite remember that zone's real name but it was full of humongous mushrooms and funny giant frogs… Therefore we simply referred to that place as the Frog Forest._**

**_As far as I can remember, I lived there with only my mom and my dad since I was very little. I was really fond with nature, especially with plants… I used to talk to them, you know? You may think that I'm crazy or something but I'm not… For some reason, I've been always able to talk to the plants and the trees, I myself resembled them… Unlike my parents._**

**_It was no more than a few years ago when I realized that I was different… Not just from other kids but from my parents too! They weren't plant like creatures like me… They were regular Mobians just like you._**

**_My mom was a castor by the name of Rosy and my dad, a flying squirrel named Ray. I was their foster daughter. They told me that they found me inside a cradle of leafs and decided to adopt me._**

**_I-I loved them so much…_**

* * *

A single tear came down Cosmo's delicate cheek. Tails immediately darted to her side to comfort her.

"Ehi… It's okay, Cosmo. If you don't feel like telling now we won't force you than…"

"HELL NO!!" Was the battle cry of one not very patient echidna. "That's too convenient, I want the whole story, right now!"

If looks could kill, the combined gazes of Tails, Amy and Blaze would have had a really good chance at it… At least for the first 25 times.

"WHAT?" Asked a now slightly worried Knuckles.

All three F.F. were giving him their best (and worst) menacing looks they could master.

The hedgehog girl was preparing the field with her trademark "how could you be so insensible" look, which was basically her average angry glare with crossed arms to add a major effect.

The fiery former cat queen was mauling the opponent's defenses with the typical (and personally, frightening) feline blank expression… The one that always seemed to say: "I'm watching youuuuuu…." Creepy, indeed!

Ultimately, the Kitsune's glare was the final blow… An expression of pure anger and bewilderment at the same time. The one that goes: "I can't believe you heartless bastard, uber moron, knuckle for brain, nasty son of a…. Etc. Etc. Etc."

Espio didn't really care, he was there because he was obliged to. He just wanted to get it over with as soon as possible and resume his attempts in contacting the Acorns.

Surprisingly enough, it was Cosmo the one who took Knuckles out of harm's way, or glares way, if you will.

"Please, don't be hasty to each other just for me. Besides, I do want to finish my story."

Tails exited from his "mean face" mode and returned his eyes to Cosmo's.

"Ok, if you want to…"

"I do." She smiled weakly and resumed her tale.

* * *

**_As I said before, it was a beautiful day and I was just talking to some of my friends (You wouldn't imagine how talkative giant floating daisies could be), when… When I…_**

**_When I heard that noise. A strange noise that I've never heard before and it came from the direction on my house._**

**_When I came back to see what was happening… I saw… My parents… On the ground…They weren't moving…Their, their faces w-were all red._**

**_I screamed._**

**_I screamed with all my voice._**

**_They were dead._**

**_DEAD!_**

**_THEY KILLED THEM!_**

**_I-I-I c-couldn't d-do anything for t-them… I-I wish I could, I wish I could save them!_**

**_The killers were still there… I will never forget those red glowing eyes of them… Their cold, robotic forms and… Their smoking weapons._**

**_And now they wanted me! T-they were going to get ME!_**

**_They shouted something but I didn't understand what, I was unable to move._**

**_Suddenly, I snapped from my trance and started running for my life._**

**_And, and they were after me._**

**_Always behind._**

**_They, they w-were still behind… H-help, please somebody help me, they're going to catch me, they're going to KILL ME!_**

**_PLEASE! PLEASE, SOMEBODY, ANYBODY, HEEEEELLLLLLLP MEEEEEEEE!!!_**

**_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRGHHH!!!!!!!_**

* * *

She couldn't contain herself anymore, she was crying openly now.

The overall shock of actually reliving that horrible moment and all the fear and the big chase that followed were simply too much for that delicate being that she was to overcome.

Tails put on a big deal of an effort in order to consol her… But even he could not help by cry just a little bit. This poor girl had just witnessed the murder of her parents by the hands of Eggman's SWATBots…

Just like him.

She was also, as far as they knew, the only one of her kind…

Just like him.

In that moment, Tails felt more near to her than ever before. In his mind, he didn't need to know anything more from her.

Knuckles, however, was a different story. Unlike the others, He wasn't falling for pathetic scenes like that.

"How did you find us?" He asked abruptly.

"W-what? Sniff."

"As I was referred by my acquaintances here…" He pointed Blaze and Amy, who were trying to consol the younger girl along with Tails and didn't like to be involved in their leader's references. "… Apparently you KNEW were to find us." The bold echidna continued. "So I'm gonna repeat the question one more time and slowly: how. Did. You. Find. Us?"

Tails was on the verge of punching Knuckles on the nose for his lack of sensibility toward her condition… But than, his well known rational side suddenly dinged. That was a very good question.

The answer, though, was even more interesting.

"The plants."

A general "WHAT!?" followed.

"I told you I could talk to the plants… They know a lot of things you know? They used to tell me everything about the outside world… The humans, the Mobians, the war against that evil man… And the brave Freedom Fighters. They knew plenty about you, they even knew were your base was located."

Than she looked at the kit that was at her side and blushed.

"They… Used to talk a lot about you. Miles "Tails" Prower, the youngest hero of Mobius, the fastest and smartest warrior in the world… Sometimes I, I used to dream about, you know, meeting you and things like that…" She blushed even more and started playing nervously with her fingers.

The Kitsune was simply speechless, wide eyed and almost mouth agape. This girl knew him even before they've officially met! Even more, she actually WISHED to meet him! Chaos was having a good time with the boy's life, that was for sure.

"The plants… You wouldn't expect me to believe it, would you?" Retorted Knuckles only to find himself, ironically enough, overpowered by the others hostile gazes.

Even Espio's.

Over the last few minutes, the interest of the Chameleon toward the little plant's tale increased noticeably… His usual granite like expression did soften a little, lights of understanding were showed in his not so cold eyes… He knew what Fear, True Fear was.

He experienced it.

Knuckles felt betrayed. Everyone, even his best Mobian, were against him.

Than his harsh glare posed over Cosmo's wide, tearful, innocent eyes… And sighed.

"Fine. I suppose it could be possible… To talk… To plants… And stuff." A distressful giant vein became quite visible on the echidna's forehead. Admiting defeat wasn't something that his race would do easily. "I'll be in the gym punching the wall for a few hours, if anybody needs me…" And the very pissed off (not so) leader of the F.F. Mystic Ruins Section left the room fuming like a cruising ship.

Cosmo looked dumbfounded, in a cute way.

"Is he… Angry with me?"

"No, no. He's just born like that." Amy reassured her, beating the timing of Tails, and added: "He couldn't sleep at night without beating his own pillow first." She giggled at this… No one else did. She noticed. "What? I thought it was funny!"

For the next few night hours, dreadful loud noises, like a crazed bulldozer trying to smash a steel reinforced military bunker and actually winning, could be heard in all the county, including Station Square…

Cream awoke from her sleep, opened the window of her room and shouted: "BE QUIET, I'M TRYING TO SLEEP!!!" Than closed it and came back to her bed.

For the rest of the night she had nightmares about giant bulldozer like creatures trying to smash innocent little wall like people for no apparent reason… Good old Sigmund.

* * *

**Thursday morning.**

**3 days before Project: Doomsday.**

Knuckles was lying on his bed, finally exhausted after a whole night of senseless display of violence toward an innocent steel reinforced wall, and started to reflect to the recent events.

"What a cluster fuck!"

Yes… Reflecting, echidna style.

There was a thought that kept coming in his mind, a thing that his young vulpine companion told him last night, right before Cosmo's tale…

* * *

**_"It's strange, though…"_**

**_"What?"_**

**_"This all 'Eggman's secret G.U.N. army' thing… It seems too obvious, somehow."_**

**_"What the fried Spartan are you talking about?"_**

**_"Just think about it for a minute: you said it was Sally's father who ordered you to investigate over this dislocated base because he had suspicions…Right?"_**

**_"Uh-Uhu…"_**

**_"And than, you went into this not so secluded base and immediately found this gigantic army of Big Foots with Eggman's logo on them…"_**

**_"Point being?"_**

**_"Well… Maybe it's just a feeling but… It all seemed… a little too easy, don't you think?"_**

* * *

And it was. There was definetelly something wrong in all this mess. The stubborn echidna tried so hard to figure out what it was that he ended up with a giant headache.

Thoughts… How he despised them!

The other F.F. had, although their leader's outburst, managed to sleep for the past night (it's amazing what a reasonable dose of cotton could do for sleeping problems).

Espio was still asleep on the big computer's console… The poor guy tried the whole night to contact at least one of the Acorns but to no avail.

Suddenly, the screen begun bleeping like if it was possessed. Espio immediately snapped out from his "ugly" sleep, slightly alarmed… It was a call from Sally Acorn herself.

In a blink of an eye, Knuckles, Amy and Blaze entered the room and Espio answered.

The former squirrel princess's face was showing a great amount of distress, fatigue and, most of all, agitation…

"Knuckles! I'm glad to see you're back, I hope you are aware of the current situation…"

"I am." Replied the mighty mauler of walls.

"Good… Because the council have just reached a few decisions."

Everybody in the room were absolute tensed and in utter anticipation. This was the moment of truth, they were all depending from their boss's mouth…

"About Doctor Eggman's threat, it has been approved by all members (which included me) that the Mobian nation would not accept his or anyone else's blackmails, that we would never surrender to terrorists and their crazy requests and that drastic measures will be adopted in order to protect the country and his citizens…"

That would have been a relief… If they didn't know about the doctor's secret army.

"As for Cosmo…" At this point, Sally's face frowned.

"What about her?" Asked a visibly worried Amy.

Sally took the proverbial deep breath, closed her eyes and coldly spoke.

"The council have decided, by 3 votes over 2, specifically 3 votes over my father and mine's, that since the girl is not a member of any of the known species on Mobius or Overland… And since Eggman wanted so bad to capture her alive…" She stopped for a second for taking some breath again than resumed. "… She has been considered an high level threat and, in order to avoid any risk, she must…"

The squirrel took a very long, irritating, second before muttering the one single word that everybody in that very moment feared the most to hear…

"… Disappear."

That last sentence didn't need a replay.

A colorful amount of emotions begun showing on the many faces of the Freedom Fighters.

Stupor.

Fear.

Rage.

Disgust.

Amy was the first to speak.

"But… Why? She's just a little girl!" Young, sweet Amy Rose, always so naïve…

At this point, Sally couldn't contain herself any longer and snapped.

"THAT WORTHLESS VERMIN OF SNIVELY ROBOTNIK!!!!"

The others were taken aback by this, they have never seen their chief in this state before.

"He was the one that convinced the others of the council about the 'dangerous menace of the plant like freak' and they fell for it… That little fucker!!!" Continued the mad chipmunk.

Snively was the only human in the council… An interesting coincidence, indeed.

"But that's not even the worst part." She pointed.

"No?" Asked an utterly worried Blaze, which was embodying the whole group's concern.

"No… They told me, no, they ORDERED me, not to spread this news… But, HELL! I'm going to do it anyway! Snively requested the help of G.U.N. itself to dispose of the menace…"

"G.U.N. is going to intervene!?" Cried a dumbfounded Blaze.

"And as a result of Snively's request… They chose to send their best agent to do the job."

Shivers begun spreading upon the F.F. collective spines, even knuckles and Espio's.

G.U.N. best field agent was not a joke… not at all.

There were rumors, even legends, about this mysterious warrior…

Stories of entire armies of Badniks vaporized in a few minutes…

Stories of whole cities blown up…

Stories of blood, death and destruction… Enough to frighten even the strongest souls.

And now… He / her / it was coming for a little, innocent girl who's biggest crime was just being alive.  
In his heart, Knuckles himself was experiencing a lot of concerns… Suddenly though, something else came in his mind, something horrible, something that he would blame to himself for the rest of his mortal life for not thinking about it earlier…

Knuckles's gaze looked the others F.F. faces and Sally Acorn's before finally realizing, with utter terror, his huge mistake.

"Where are… Tails and Cosmo?"

* * *

"Hi mom. Hi dad." Said simply the Kitsune boy while kneeling in front of his parents graves nearby the cliff…

Some ancient human religion used to say that while the body dies, the soul remains immortal and goes to another place… Mobians, however, used to believe in Chaos and Nature… It was their conviction that when someone dies, he or her simply become a whole with nature, so basically Tails's parents were everywhere and nowhere at the same time… They were in the plants, the trees, the wind… With him.

He was trying, with all of his will to believe that but found it impossible… Perhaps his own rational mind was backstabbing him or, perhaps, mortals were bound to suffer just for receiving the gift of a life… He didn't want to think about it, because every time he did… He would starting to think at the only one thing that could reunite him with his beloved parents…

Death.

And than, his mind granted him with a new hope. He didn't want to die, not at all, he had still a purpose…

A reason to be alive.

Her.

It was amazing, they knew each other for barely 3 days and yet he would blush every time he would think at her.

Her hair.

Her blue eyes.

Her voice. Oh how he loved the sound of her voice.

Speaking of which… A familiar sound came to the sensitive ears of the vulpine.

"TAILS!" And there she were. The girl of his dreams.

"C-Cosmo? What are you doing here?"

She looked a little guilty.

"Well… The other morning I didn't find you when I awoke so this morning I just woke earlier and… Stalked you, I'm sorry."

The fox smiled, he was not offended, he was amused.

"Don't be… I like the idea of being followed by a beautiful girl."

He realized too late what he had just said without even thinking and his face became redder than Knuckles's with tomato ketchup on it.

"What, what did you say?" She was genuinely reddening too.

"NOTHING! Ehrrr I meant… I don't mind being stalked by a good friend, yeah, that's it." His comment was followed by a very stupid giggle.

"Oh…" She was a little disappointed, she hoped he could find the courage… She also hoped she could do it… "What are those monuments?" She than asked.

Tails didn't feel disrespected or anything, he imagined that his (let's say) friend hadn't any experience with graves and the all "honoring the memory of the departed" stuff, so he explained it to her.

"I've built this sculptures to honor the memory of my parents… They died not too long ago."

"Oh… OH! I'm so sorry for disrespecting them."

"Don't be, you didn't know."

"May I ask you when… You know?"

"They died 3 days ago." Said the vulpine before realizing his atrocious mistake.

Cosmo's face was simply shocked…

"Tails… H-how did they…"

He didn't say anything, he didn't need to say anything, she could see it by herself… In his blue, suffering and now regretful eyes.

Sick, sad realization stroked her heart.

"Oh my Chaos… It, it was because of me, right? They were killed by those SWATBots, right?"

Tails was drowning in his own sea of guilt… A single, blasted moment of weakness has been enough to bring more sorrow to the already hurtful soul of the girl he SWORE to protect.

He wanted to mutter something, to tell her that it wasn't her fault, that it was not true, that everything was ok…

He found that he couldn't.

He didn't say a word.

He stood there, silent, without even looking at her…

That was the supreme confirmation of her suspects.

"No… Nonononononononononononono… It was all my fault! My own existence had always caused nothing but pain and death! First my parents, than yours… I-I, I SHOULDN'T EVEN BEEN BORN!!!"

That hurt… So, so bad.

She ran off, away from the still standing body of Tails, rivers of tears were spreading in the wind… Tears of guilt, tears of desperation…

And than… It came the light…

And the smoke…

And the new threat.

Tails's instincts kicked in.

"COSMO!!!"

And he darted to her aid.

She was set on the grass, clearly taken aback by the sudden phenomenon.

A strange green light had appeared from seemingly nothing… With a person in it.

The tears in Cosmo's eyes where now gone, a whole different emotion was now printed on her young face, an emotion that she knew very well, an emotion that she was almost accustomed to…

Fear.

The small cloud of smoke that followed the unnatural miasma was finally dissipating… Reviling to both the kids, the true aspect of the stranger.

A black, red striped, male hedgehog with pointed quills at their respective ends, golden bracelets on his wrists and ankles, a white muzzle of fur on his chest, sneakers and scary, blood red eyes…

And a weird green gem in his left hand.

There he was…

The source of the Freedom Fighters sudden terror…

G.U.N.'s only non-human element and best field agent…

Shadow the Hedgehog, the Ultimate Life Form!


	6. Chapter 6

**6.**

There's nothing to fear, more than Fear itself… A corny line, indeed.

He was standing in front of them… Calm, focused, glacial… Staring them with his crimson eyes.

He didn't mutter a single word for a few minutes, it almost seemed as he did plan the entire thing for inflicting more fear over his opponents… Or just for looking cool.

Cosmo was still on the ground, somehow incapable of a single motion other than trembling… Her gaze had never left the black hedgehog's one…

Those eyes.

Those red eyes… So full of hate and rage…

The eyes of a cursed being.

The very feeling that she was so accustomed to, simply immobilized her, cutting the links between her brain and the rest of her body… In medical terms, she was experiencing extreme mental distress and possible trauma…

And all of because she DARED to look into those eyes… She, involuntarily, dared to see through his very soul… And she paid the price.

Thousands and thousands of images, images of violence, sufferance and death, were now invading her own innocent mind…

Screaming at her.

Laughing at her.

Hitting her.

Enough horrible memories to bring anybody to madness… Enough angst and torment not just for one life time but for millions.

And definetelly more than any living being, human or Mobian, animal or vegetal, should be forced to endure.

She was still aware of her surroundings but her body wasn't reacting to them. It was like if she was having a dream… Or a nightmare, for that matter.

Not even Tails's pleas were capable to awake her from that trance. He tried to call her name, to shake her but to no avail…

Just… Who was this guy? And why did he has that effect on Cosmo?

And the answer:

He was Fear itself… Another corny line, indeed.

The hedgehog's eyes were still staring at the two childs without even blinking (which it was creepy enough) before Tails finally decided to break the silence…

"Who are you?" A simple yet rightful question.

The dark one blinked (thank Chaos) before muttering the answer.

"I'm Shadow… Shadow the Hedgehog." He said with his cold, emotionless voice.

The vulpine's ears suddenly went straight while his heart just missed a beep.

**_Shadow? THE Shadow? The legendary G.U.N. soldier responsible for the death of millions? No… That's not possible, it was just a legend, a myth… Right?_**

**_Right!?_**

"And you are… Miles Prower, am I right?"

At the mention of his name by such a glacial voice, the kit felt like his soul was being sucked by some evil, invisible force.

"H-how do you know my name?" Asked Tails.

Shadow managed a small smirk… Which made him even more sinister.

"Everybody knows the great Miles Prower, the youngest and greatest hero in Mobius… The fastest thing alive." This last sentence was pronounced with a considerable amount of haste. He clearly wasn't agree with that.

"What do you want?" A suddenly braver Tails managed to ask.

Shadow's gaze planted itself on the alienated body of Cosmo before returning to Miles.

"The plant…" He simply said.

For some reason, the Kitsune was expecting this… Courage and determination found their way back in the fox's soul.

"You can't have her."

"Than we have a problem."

He knew Shadow was a G.U.N. agent, therefore if he wanted Cosmo than G.U.N. wanted her and IF G.U.N. was working for Eggman….

"Why do you want her, anyway?"

"My interests toward the girl are not your concern… Hand her over me or face the consequences."

Now it was the vulpine's turn to smirk.

"Don't feel like, sorry."

"Fine. Have it your way, fox."

Before Tails could even blink, a rather strong fist hit his nose, making him bounce backward into a tree. He's nose was bleeding.

**_He… He's fast!_**

The kid warrior was on his feet again and launched himself against his adversary who simply dodged out of the way and kick the back of the fox's head with a roundhouse kick, sending him to another tree.

He felt the shot… More than he wanted to admit.

"This is pointless." Muttered the black hedgehog. "You're physical condition is clearly not at it's best shape, I can see it by your movements… This is not even a real fight."

He was right and Miles knew it. Even after Knuckles's healing process, his body still wasn't able to sustain a real battle… And Shadow the Hedgehog was no joke.

Plus, the vulpine seriously doubted that, even at his best shape, he would be able to out speed his opponent… He'll have to use his brain.

"Givin' up, fox?" Asked the smirking hedgehog.

"Not.. A.. Chance." The Kitsune's simple reply.

"Suit yourself."

This time, Shadow attacked - the fox was expecting this - and motioned a swift kick over his opponent's head… Only to hit a tree out of it's base.

"What the…" He muttered. "Where did he go?"

Than he heard an helicopter like noise right over his head… And before realizing his misjudgment, a  
powerful kick was planted in his right cheek by an aerial fox.

The shot, however, didn't have the desired effect… The black hedgehog did a few backward steps, almost losing his balance, and a bruise was now painted on his cheek… But other than that, he looked pretty fine... And angry.

Tails was still in air, thinking on a next strategy when…

"AAARRGH! WHAT THE…"

It has been too fast, even for him… His arm wasn't wounded a second ago and now it was.

What was going on?

The hurtful kit looked back in Shadow's direction and found his answer.

His enemy was holding a gun!

Now THAT was unexpected… Mobians have always despised guns and all the human weapons, they only believed in their physical abilities and natural skills… And yet, this Anthro rodent in front of him had one.

"Don't be so shocked… I grow up with the humans, after all." In saying that, the Ultimate Life Form's gaze became distant for just a mere second, perhaps in deep thought of something… Something unpleasant.

Tails took his chance… And darted in Cosmo's direction. He knew he didn't stand a chance against him, at least not in those conditions, therefore he needed to get his girl and find the others as soon as possible…

His girl? Was that meant?

Shadow grinned at the view… He always loved when his targets were moving.

A few shots came dangerously close to the Kitsune's fur but he managed to miss them all… Luckily for him, Shadow was not a great shooter.

He was about to reach Cosmo's form when…

"Going somewhere?"

To his utter shock, the black and red hedgehog materialized right between him and Cosmo.

Shadow was THAT fast.

A granite like fist found it's way on the fox's belly.

Tails collapsed on his knees and coughed some blood. His old injuries had reopened...

The enemy was standing tall before him, his face didn't betray any feelings.

"Hmpf."

Than turned to see his young target still frozen in place. He gave her a very good look.

The strangest and most unique being his eyes have ever seen… She looked completely harmless and weak, not to mention, humongously terrified.  
But still…

There was something about her that he couldn't quite caught. Shadow the Hedgehog had always been loyal to G.U.N. and the human world (not that he had much of a choice), he was their best soldier… And their most powerful weapon. He was a weapon, trained to kill without compassion or second thoughts and to never question orders…

But still… He was definetelly sure that there was more to this kid that met the eye, than again he couldn't say what.

Nor he wouldn't. He had a mission to complete.

The hand that was holding the gun slowly raised , like an ominous prophecy of death, and positioned itself on Cosmo's forehead.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

"What… URGH!"

Someone, I don't remember who, once said that sheer will and pure determination are the second strongest emotions in the universe. The first was… Well, I'll let you figure it out.

"LEAVE HER ALONE, YOU BASTARD!!!!"

To Shadow's total bewilderment, the battered Kitsune, the child that he briefly fought and beaten no more than a few seconds ago without a great effort, was now on top of him, showing him a peculiar amount of desperation… Right on his face.

"I WILL KILL YOU! YOU, SON OF A BITCH! DIE! DIE!" Tears spreading all over the kit's face, tears of rage, tears of desperation.

Suddenly, the Ultimate Life Form got sick of it… And kicked the pest away from him. He stood on his feet once again only to notice a single, fine line of crimson liquid coming down from his nose…

He was genuinely impressed. In all of his life, only a few opponents managed to actually hurt him in battle and most of them were robots or echidnas, NOT little kids with barely some fighting skills!

He looked back at his young adversary who was now standing not too distant in front of him… The kid seemed obviously tired and was having difficulties in breathing but that expression in his eyes, an expression of pure hate and will to win, was still there… And Shadow liked it.

This young, seemingly innocent, fox boy had something that truly captured the attention of the black hedgehog… He had potential.

**_He is young but he already got the strength of a true warrior, not to mention the motivations… Eh, eh, eh, interesting._**

"It seems that I have underestimated you."

Tails didn't reply, he was focused.

"Very well… Let's get serious!"

With that said, the blood eyed assassin got rid of his weapon and pointed his open palm in the direction of the kit.

Now Tails was confused, what was he doing?

"Chaos…"

That was the answer.

"SPEAR!!!"

A yellow globe of light exited from the hand of the Ultimate Life Form and shot itself to the alarmed Kitsune which narrowly avoid it. The globe hit a bunch of trees… Destroying them.

"WHAT THE CHAOS!!?"

"Precisely, Miles… That was the power of Chaos! Just a little figment, though."

"W-WHAT!? B-but… How!? I thought nobody could control the power of Chaos!"

"Normally, it would be true… But I am NOT normal, you know? Among that… I can dispose of this gem's powers."

Shadow took out from one of his quills that strange fist sized green jewel that he was holding earlier…

"You know what this is?" Asked the grinning hedgehog.

Tails shook his head.

"This… Is a Chaos Emerald!"

"A… A CHAOS EMERALD!!!?"

If Tails previously considered Shadow the Hedgehog to be nothing more than a legend... Than for he, the Chaos Emeralds' own existence was credible like the ancient Greek mythology.

The 7 Chaos Emeralds were the most known fairy tale in the world, a kid's tale, a myth without rational bases… therefore it was something that a mind like Tails's should not even considered. Yet, there it was, in Shadow's hand, a glowing, green emerald by the size of an hand. A container of just a bit of the most powerful essence in the universe… Chaos energy.

The origins of the emeralds are still unknown to this very day. No one really knows how they were created or from where they came but many people (scientists, alchemists, astrologists, priests, etc.) did make their own pretty theories over the centuries:

Someone said that they were a gift to the world and his inhabitants, send by the Ancient Walkers themselves, the Mobius Gods (for who would believe in them, of course).

Another theory (a less theological) said that they came out as a result of a heavy modification of some of the biggest rock formations after the enormous earthquake that shook the planet several millenniums ago right before the comparison of the first Anthropomorphic animal.

The most believed credence, however, is the one that states that this gems were created by the most powerful mages in Mobius when the Anthro society was at it's beginning.

2000 thousands years after the natural disaster that hit the planet, the various Mobian tribes were just beginning to colonize the lands. The various races use to fought each other for the control of the continents or declaring alliances in order to be stronger against other tribes… That until, the Overlanders came.

Humans used to be the rulers of the world before the great catastrophe. Some of them managed to survive it and hide under the soil for 2 millenniums. When they came out from their refuges, they discovered the Mobiankind… That, of course, signed the beginning of their long conflict for the ruler ship of planet Earth.

In order to obtain a significant edge in the war, three of the most powerful sorcerers representing the three most dominant Anthro races at the time, decided to use their abilities in manipulating raw chaos energy in order to create a whole new power source.

The first mage was a hedgehog, the second an echidna and the third was a Kitsune.

With their collective efforts they, somehow, managed to summon enough chaos energy into seven colorless stones… The result of this process was the birth of the Chaos Emeralds themselves.

With the awesome power of those jewels in their grasp, the three sorcerers could defeat their enemies without great difficulties. Only they were able to use it, though, and soon, the lust for power did bring them to their own demise… After that, the emeralds disappeared into nothingness, leaving Mobians and humans fighting each other in the old fashioned way.

During the course of centuries, other beings did, eventually, find and use the emeralds to achieve ultimate strength (special individuals gifted by Nature with incredible abilities since their birth)… And only a few of them didn't become consumed by their own greed and desires.

In the end, the TRUE power of Chaos is still unknown to this very day… And hopefully, it'll remain that way.

"How could this be possible? Where did you find that one?" For now, Tails's mood did switch from angry and desperate to desperately curious.

The black and red hedgehog in front of him was still smirking. He did that a lot, lately.

"Let's make a deal… We are going to have ourselves a fight and if you win, I will reveal you the secret behind this green emerald and I will ALSO let your girlfriend live…"

"She is not my girlfriend…" Said the very less convinced kit.

"Whatever. BUT if I win… than I'll take her life!" Shadow pointed toward the comatose yet aware body of Cosmo.

Tails was about to add something but Shadow wasn't finished.

"Aaaaannnnnd…"

"And… What?"

"You will become… MY APPRENTICE!"

The vulpine was shocked. There were no other words to describe his actual state.

"W-w-what?"

"You've heard it right, Miles. I see that you have a lot of raw power inside of you, something similar to my own, and I want to exploit it… So, do WE have a deal?"

Tails looked at his own hands and physic. Was he really that powerful? Enough to impress even the God of Destruction, Shadow himself? He didn't know… As a matter of fact, he doubted it.

Than he looked at Cosmo, she was still frightened, still unable to move, still defenseless…

He had doubts no more.

"Yes… It's a deal." He calmly replied.

"Good."

Slowly, the black warrior started walking toward Tails.

Tails immediately entered in his fighting stance. Shadow stopped a few centimeters from his yellow-orange counterpart and, to the boy's surprise, offered his hand.

After hesitating for a moment, Tails offered his own.

They shook hands.

"Very well, than. Let us meet tomorrow in this very spot at 12:00 a.m."

"High Noon, eh? I loved that movie!"

"What?"

"Nothing…"

The mysterious hedgehog enigma was about to leave when…

"Shadow!"

"What's the problem, now?"

"Are you aware of the fact that G.U.N. could have probably forged an alliance with the Eggman Empire?"

Shadow turned his head to the kid. Emotionless.

"Even if that was true, it is not my concern. I just follow orders…" He pondered about this last sentence for a moment, than add "… Usually."

"But why do you work for the humans?"

"Because I have no choice."

"Nonsense! Everybody has a choice!"

At this, he grinned.

"Did YOU really have a choice when you met the Doctor's army for the first time?"

The light orange vulpine's wide eyed. Did he really had any other choice back there… Yes, 2 actually: getting killed or robotizied… Shadow had a point.

"As I thought. Farewell, Miles, see you tomorrow." With that said, he elevated his green Chaos Emerald high in the sky and solemnly pronounced the two most controversial and paradoxical words ever known…"CHAOS CONTROL!!!!" And disappeared in a flash of green light, leaving the fox cub alone with his thoughts.

That didn't last very much, though. In the almost exact moment that Shadow lived, Cosmo abruptly snapped out from her trance… With a sudden seizure attack.

"COSMO!! WHAT'S HAPPENING!?"

She was shaking like mad and saliva was descending from her mouth, her eyes were rolled… Just your average seizure.

"I need help!" Tails stated to no one in particular.

He took the plant girl on his arms, bridal position, and started running toward the base.

* * *

The Freedom Fighters, however, were currently NOT at the base.

After the gruesome realization that his younger comrade and his girlfriend were not in sight, Knuckles the Echidna had only the time to inform Sally Acorn about the possible G.U.N. / Eggman connection (which naturally shocked her to death), before rushing out of his cove with all the other F.F. in search of the two youngsters.

"KNUCKLES, ESPIO, BLAZE, SLOW DOWN! I CAN BARELY KEEP UP!" Amy was a skilled fighter, no questions about it, but when it came to running or simply jogging, she was (how could I put it kindly?) a slow-mo.

After short time, she was breathless.

"Anf… Anf… They… Never… Wait."

She stopped for a minute and decided to sit on a log. She would not be of any help if she was breathless and if this Shadow was that dangerous, she would need to be in her best form.

This wasn't the first time that she was left back… As a matter of fact, that was pretty much the story of her life.

She was left by her parents when she was 3. She was left by her friends in the orphanage because THEY found new families. She grow up all alone and learn how to fight by her own.

When she joined the Militia, she thought that she had finally found a family…

But in the end, she still felt alone. The others would not understand her nor they would try to… Oh, they were all nice and friendly with her, that was for sure, but they could not give her what she wanted so badly, what she needed… Someone who would love her for what she was.

A single tear came down from her cheek. A few others followed and she silently cried for a good minute.

"Well, well, what do we have here?"

The foreigner voice immediately made Amy's instincts to react. She was in her fighting stance, hammer in hands, ready to attack.

"Hmpf."

Before she could even utter a motion, someone from behind her grabbed her left arm and neck, making her unable to move without hurting herself. She was reasonably scared.

"Toying with hammers bigger than yourself could be really dangerous, you know?"

She could feel his breath on her ear. He was definetelly too close.

"Don't even bother calling for help… You'll be dead before your voice could come out from your sweet, tender, little neck." He was caressing her throat, making her even more scared.

She finally found the courage to speak.

"W-what, what are you gonna do with me?" She had to ask that question…

"Nothing… For now. You see, I just happened to discover you in the middle of this forest and I found you… Rather interesting." The voice from behind replied.

**_Oh no… He is a pervert! Oh please, please, somebody, anybody, save me from this maniac!_**

"Relax… I can feel your distress. It causes your body to shiver." He added with a hint of pleasure while delicately caressing her cheek.

She didn't know what to do. She was terrified and, most of all, she felt defenseless… A thing that she tried so hard not to be. This stranger, whoever he was, was slowly destroying what was left of her sense of security…

Yet, for some reason, she wasn't disliking it. She didn't know why but all of this was making her feel… Curious. She felt sick with herself for that.

"Don't be…"

"W-what?"

"Don't feel bad about this. I understand that it might be a whole new experience for you… But if you like it than there are no reasons to reject it."

"Y-you d-don't know nothing about me." She wasn't going to let this weirdo to get the better of her, she would fight… She would… She didn't know what to do, not at all.

"Maybe… But I do want to know you better and this is the better way, trust me."

**_He wants to know me better? He saw me for just a second and now he wants to know me better?_**

Amy was taken aback by that remark, she wasn't expecting it at all. The rational part of consciousness was telling her that he was a maniac and that she should find a way to run away from him… But the other part, that little hidden side of her that she didn't even know to have, was telling otherwise.

After he started to kiss the back of her neck, she suddenly gave up any resistance left…

At this point, he let her go.

Immediately the now snapped pink hedgehog swung her hammer toward her capturer only to hit nothing.

"My, my, you should really relax sometimes."

She turned her head again and this time, he was in front of her!

Once again he blocked her hammer and grabbed her throat…

At this point, she could see him clearly: a black hedgehog with red striped quills and… Those deep ruby eyes. She was lost in his gaze, so cold, so distant yet so… Interesting?

"As I said, I wasn't going to hurt you… Unless, of course, you'd force me."

She was still lost in his eyes… And speechless. He smiled, somehow satisfied… For the moment.

"This was very interesting… As a first encounter."

What did he mean by that?

"Since you're a Freedom Fighter, I guess I would meet you tomorrow… When I'll have to fight your little fox friend for that girl's life."

And finally, realization hits in the not-so-light-weighted-as-believed head of Amy Rose.

"Y-you a-are… S-Shadow?"

"Clever girl, aren't you?"

A whole train of emotions crossed her soul. She was scared of what this horrible individual could do to her friends, she was horrified about his not so reassuring background, she felt disgusted for allowing him to expose her weaknesses… And she still felt "curious" toward him.

He managed a small sinister smile than he released her neck and started to live.

"Why are you doing this?" Fair enough question, indeed.

He turned and answer.

"Because I can. I'm the Ultimate Life Form and what I want I get. And right now… I have interests toward the fox boy…" He paused and than added: "… As well as you." And than… He was gone.

She stood there, frozen in place. He had interests toward her? Shadow the Hedgehog, the merciless killer, the living weapon, found a little girl like her… Interesting? She was confused… So confused that she almost missed the first part of his sentence…

"Wait a minute! What does he want from Tails!?"

* * *

Knuckles was not a happy person, not at all. First, he lost sight of no one but TWO people under his direct responsibility… Than he lost tracks of Amy and only Chaos knows what she could do when she was all alone… And finally, THIS!

"Subject: Freedom Fighter. Priority one: ANNIHILATE!!!"

"Aaaaaah, SHUT THE FUNGUS UP!!!"

Down came another SWATBot.

"ESPIO! SEND SOME BLASTED NINJA COMETS OR WHATEVER THEY ARE CALLED TO SOME OF THOSE MOTHERFUCKERS OVER THERE!!!" He managed to yell all in one breath.

Espio did it while promising to himself that, if one day he will talk again, the first thing he'd do would be to teach to that ignorant fool of an echidna the difference between a katana and a shuriken… On his flesh.

A fair number of bots exploded after Espio's Ninja STARS or SHURIKENS (not comets), hit them right in their metallic hearts.

"EHI!! CHARMENCAT! FIRE THOSE JERKBOTS!!!" Shouted Knuckles in the direction of Blaze.

"Charmen… Cat? Knuckles… I am going to BURN your ASS!!!"

"WHATEVER, LESS THREATS, MORE FLAMES!!"

And the senseless massacre of innocent SWATBots went on for another hour.

"Anf, anf. What the hell were they doing here!?" Asked (not shouting for once) the leader.

"How do I suppose to know?"

"Man… What a Chaosdamned cluster fuck!"

"KNUCKLES! BLAZE! ESPIO!"

They all turned their heads only to see a desperate re-injured Kitsune with a fairly messed up plant girl in his arms!

"This is just getting better and better…" Lamented Knuckles.

Life is Chaos… Chaos loves cluster fucks.


	7. Chapter 7

**7.**

**Friday morning. Around noon.**

**2 days before Project: Doomsday.**

There are things in this world that still defy the logical thought. Unexplained mysteries, myths and legends that seem to slip from the gunning grips of rationality… Chaos itself was obviously one of this charades. The idea of infinite invisible energy lines spread upon the whole universe… Of raw primal energies that could be capable to decide things like the fate of entire worlds or just the spot were a fly would fall dead...

It was a concept that terrorized many religious men… And caught the greedy interests of many others, leading them into their own demise.

If life is made by anf for Chaos… Than are we a part of it? Are we all made of chaos? Even a single fragment of it? There were beings capable of controlling it? There were Gods?

**_This is all pointless._**

He wasn't really fond for ancient theories and all that mumbo jumbo.

He only believed in FACTS!

It was a FACT that the primal forces of chaos could be controlled (even just a little bit of them).

It was a FACT that there were people who had special gifts and powers since their birth.

And it was a FACT that he envied them.

He would never admit it but he envied them… ALL of the living natural beings.

That's why he was fascinated by Nature.

A little blue bird flied near to him. The little feral creature had curiosity imprinted in it's DNA.

It was a Flicky bird, a new species discovered by some scientist a few hundreds years ago… A peculiar descendent of the common pigeon.

He was observing it with secret admiration… He always wondered if Nature was an entity of her own, that millenniums of evolution of entire species and extinction of others were the result of a bigger scheme… He dismissed the thought, it was too irrational but than again… This whole world was too.

Chaos… This unknown.

The bird flied away and got back to it's home.

Shadow sighed. Sometimes he wished that things were as easy for him as that little Flicky.

The Ultimate Life Form… That's how he called himself. That's how others called him. A title that was more of a curse for him than anything. Sure he had great powers and physical strengths… But he knew that, unlike others, they weren't birth gifted… Or at least, not in the conventional way, the natural way.

And than… There was this fox.

This child, this kid… A young victim of the war against the Eggman Empire, just like others, and yet… A unique being. He was a two-tailed Kitsune, the only one in all of Mobius, and he could actually use his two appendages to fly and gain speed!

A naturally gifted fighter.

And, perhaps, something more…

And the question came again: did Nature had a scheme?

It was just a coincidence that right after the arise of the Eggman and the abrupt change in the natural habitat, a whole new kind of vulpine came to this world?

Was the young one… A chosen one?

Today, he would find out, eventually.

His head slowly turned in the direction of a sudden noise and there they were…

The Freedom Fighters.

Each and everyone of them was staring at him intently and with passion.

He could very well feel all of their mixed emotions toward him.

There was a well masked nervousness from that light purple cat.

Seriousness and Concentration from the violet Chameleon.

Hate and distrust from the red echidna.

Fear and insecurity from… That pink hedgehog.

Shadow smirked at her. He have had a good time with her yesterday… For some reason, she interested him.

After all, he was still a male.

She wasn't looking very comfortable with that but he knew that she wouldn't dislike it either.

Observing their shapes, the crimson eyed hedgehog could see that they were not normal Mobians…

They were all… Gifted.

But he wasn't interested in finding their hidden strengths or whatever… Actually, the main object of his speculations seemed to be nowhere in sight.

"Where is that fox boy? Did he send his friends to do his job or what?" Asked the dark hedgehog.

"I'm right here."

Shadow looked up and saw his youngest opponent yet, descending from the sky with his two propelled namesakes.

"They're just a crowd." Said Miles "Tails" Prower, the youngest hero in Mobius.

"Hmpf. Very well… You remember our bargain, don't you? If you win I'll let your friend to live and reveal my knowledge about the Chaos Emeralds…"

"And if you win, I'll become your apprentice."

"And I will also KILL that little plant of yours. Do not forget that."

The vulpine did not forget, he could not… Not a single chance in Hell he would.

"Let's get started." The youngster added.

"Fine with me."

This was it. The battle that would decide the fate of no one but two persons… His and her.

Failure was not an option… Not this time… Not again.

They entered in their own fighting stances (what or how they were, I'll let you imagine) and with a blink of an eye…

They were gone.

* * *

**The day before.**

"Oh HELL no you don't!!"

"You don't understand, Knuckles, I must…"

"No, YOU don't FUCKING understand! There is no FUCKING way in the FUCKING world that I'm gonna FUCKING let you fight a FUCKING genocidal killer machine by your FUCKING self. And that's FUCKING final!!!"

"NO, IT'S NOT A FUCKING FINAL! IT'S MY FIGHT! MY BATTLE!"

"You idiot! We are a whole, we fight our battles together! Plus, I don't wanna live the rest of my years having a stupid child on my conscience!"

"Is that so, leader? Is that what was really all about? The fact that I'm a kid?"

"……."

"Look… When this conflict begun, we where all childs. Most of us still are… The point is that we lost our innocence, our right to be just the kids we were supposed to be, a long time ago… Along with our parents."

Suddenly, Knuckles felt something in the pit of his stomach… Something that he wasn't really accustomed with…

Guilt.

"Tails. I know what you mean but…"

"You know?" Tails faked a laugh. "Don't mess with my intelligence! You can't understand what's happening to me in this days… 'Cause even I can't."

The red echidna's eyebrows narrowed a little.

"Why don't you try to explain me?" He simply asked.

"It's just… I'm so confused! I've always tried to be good in everything I did but… Sometimes I feel so weak and childish, I-I still think that… I still want my mum, Knuckles." The Kit finally said.

The echidna let out a deep breath. He knew what the boy meant… This conflict has dramatically changed all their lives… They were all orphans and still miss their long lost families. That was normal… As it was normal that Tails, who was just 8 and lost his parents not even 4 days ago, needed someone to comfort him, to share his feelings…

Cosmo was no difference, orphan at very young age, victim of a war that didn't belong to her… It was no mystery why those two became so linked to each other.

Both lost their innocence… Yet, they still wanted to be what they were meant to be…

Kids.

And when they were together… It was like if all the world's problems didn't even exist.

There was no Eggman, no robotic armies, no Project: Doomsday… And no Death.

Knuckles also understood that Tails, although rightfully being a child in heart, was, first of all, a soldier, a warrior, a Freedom Fighter… And also a veteran, for that matter, not to mention the sheer dimension of his intellect.

He also promised to protect this young girl with his own life and he displayed a level of motivation and courage like no one…

Therefore, there was only one thing that the echidna could do.

He put one hand on the fox's shoulder and quietly said:

"Fine, Tails. You'll fight your own battles, you deserve it."

Tails was a little surprised by the sudden change in the red one's behavior.

"But I want you to know." Continued his leader and mentor. "That the Militia will always be there for you… No matter the cluster fucks!"

The kit smiled and, for a mere second, entertained the idea of actually HUGGING Knuckles… Than he thought at the sake of his appendages and chose not to.

"Thanks, boss."

"Anytime..." He said before adding. "…NOT!"

He was he.

"Ehi, Knuckles…"

"What?"

Tails felt that he HAD to ask this question.

"What do you know about the 7 Chaos Emeralds?"

The red warrior's face frowned a little. He had hoped not to talk about them… Again.

"Besides the old legends? Very little." He responded.

Tails's ears lowered a little.

"There are interesting theories though…"

The kit's ears went straight again in curiosity.

"You know that they were made by those three mages after the coming of the Overlanders and that these three persons were an echidna, a hedgehog and a Kitsune, right?"

Tails nodded.

"You also know that only a few people during the course of time were capable of controlling the awesome power of the jewels, right?"

He nodded again. Curiosity was killing him.

"What you certainly don't know, and that because is an old echidna charade, is that the very people that were able to use the power of the gems… They were all birth gifted."

At this statement, Tails's body became aware all of a sudden… Like if he was sensing a predator or something.

"What do you mean, 'birth gifted'?"

"Well… How the fuck can I explain that?" It was a genuine dilemma… He wasn't fond with hard explanations.

"I don't know… Just try in tell me and if you won't understand it, I'll re-explain it to you." Giggled the dark yellow cub.

"Ha-ha, veeeeeeery funny! Anyway… Ah, I got it!"

"Finally…"

"SHUT UP!"

"Ok, ok, I'm sorry. Please go on…"

And the easily pissed off-able story teller went on.

"As I was saying, the individuals who could, somehow, master the power of chaos weren't exactly average Mobians, you know?"

"Will you just spit it out!?"

"I'm fucking try to create some suspense here!"

"Well… Don't do it."

"FINE! THEY WERE ALL THE RESULT OF NATURAL SELECTION!!!"

The sentence that Knuckles said, or better, yelled, hit the vulpine's brain like a bullet.

"Natural Selection? You mean that…"

"Precisely, you know the old theory, right?"

"Every time that an habitat sustains a change, the species that lives in it evolve in order to better survive in said habitat…"

"Sort of…"

"So you're basically saying that the first individuals to present the signs of an evolution process… Also gained the ability to rightfully use the Chaos Emeralds?"

"Only the first one for every race… Yep."

"Will you give me some examples?"

"Sure, as far as my race goes… The first one who got the ability to glide with his quills. Or the first with giant spiky hands… Important changes like those."

"Cool! Ehi, you know what? Me and you could be next in line!"

"W-what the toothless castor are you talking about!?"

"Well… I'm the first fox with two tails and you, the first echidna with healing powers and, now than I think about it, even Blaze could…"

"Enough! Those are nothing but legends! Life is not a fairy tale, kid, life is far more hard than that. NOW HOLD STILL! I'M NOT YET FINISHED TO HEAL YOUR BODY…For the second Chaosdamned time."

Tails stood… Thinking of all these new informations. Were they linked with the powers of the mysterious hedgehog and his sudden interests toward the fox kid?

Than he remembered what was really important at the time…

Eggman. Cosmo. Project: Doomsday. The lives of millions on the line.

His childish interest toward the mystic gems would have to wait… He would, eventually, find out a little bit more about them when… IF he would survive tomorrow.

Tails turned his head over the limp body of her friend.

After her "trip" inside Shadow's soul, Cosmo entered in some kind of trance… Only to later become a ferocious seizure attack.

To say that Tails feared for her life would have been euphemistical… His heart had experienced the most genuine display of terror, in recent memories.

After an entire hour of distressful panic, she managed to calm down and now, she was sleeping quietly in Tails's bed…

**_She looks even more beautiful when asleep._**

The young boy blushed at the thought.

Young love… Something that should always be cherished.

Even in thiese times… Mostly in these times.

And tomorrow, at High Noon, he would have prove to Shadow, to himself and to all the others… That Miles "Tails" Prower was NO joke!

* * *

The fight begun. Several kicks and punches were exchanged during the first minutes…

Tails would try to hit his opponent with some aerial fists and roundhouse kicks but, eventually, Shadow would avoid 'em and kick back of his own.

After the first few minutes it was sadly clear who got the better of the other in close encounters…

With a swift punch, Shadow send Tails over a tree and than launch himself in his direction.

**_This is no good. No good at all. He's faster, stronger, more experienced and over all, a better fighter… What can I use as my advantage?_**

Shadow hit a tree with a side karate chop, almost eradicating it… To be honest, he was aiming at the fox but he was suddenly disappeared in the thick tree forest.

"Hmpf. You want to play Hide and Seek? Well, that's fine by me!"

The black counterpart folded his hands toward the trees and…

"CHAOS SPEAR!!!

A series of globes were shot from the hands of the Ultimate Life Form, destroying several trees.

The Kitsune was no where in sight.

"You'll have to come out, sooner or later!"

Than the hedgehog heard a noise right above him. He smirked, did the cub really think that he could trick him twice?

Shadow shot a Chaos Spear in the sky and killed… An old wood log?  
Before he could even retaliate, a stinging pain found it's way on his stomach… A pain by the name of Miles Prower.

Thanks to the distraction, the vulpine didn't hesitate a second and come out from his high placed hiding spot (he was set on a branch, you know?) and shot himself at semi-sonic speed right in the belly of the now Outsmarted Life Form.

Shadow's body flew backward for a good 15 meters before landing on Tails's foot (he out ran his own shot to do that) than, after his adversary jumped forward for the impact, the vulpine wonder flew in the sky for a good 10 feet and went down to his enemy like a missile before turning and hitting him with a devastating leg drop!

The impact was fairly impressive.

After the generated dust was settled, the small crowd of the match could see their idol and fellow F.F., Tails, standing nearby the small crater.

**_What can I use as my advantage? My brain and MY home field!_**

Amy was about to cheer but than she noticed that the others were deadly serious… And than she understood why.

Shadow was standing too, all dusty and with some minor scratch… A delighted smirk was visible on his face.

"Eh eh eh eh eh eh… Not bad. Let's get serious now!"

Amy was speechless, which was an habit lately, to this guy's resistance. No wonder they call him the Ultimate… And once again, she found herself thinking at him in that way.

* * *

**The day before.**

"Espio? Can I talk to you for a second?"

The reptile was in deep meditation (ninja stuff) when Amy entered his room so he didn't acknowledged her presence even when she asked her question…

Amy took it as a "sure, why not?"

"You see… There is a certain someone who happened to know another girl that talked to me about her sometimes ago… and she told me that this certain someone happened to meet a certain someone else… In a forest."

Espio still unmoving.

Amy continued.

"Than she told me that this someone ended up been molested by that someone else who caught her by surprise without even giving her the time to cry for somebody's help… This someone else had a little fun with her (the someone that was caught by this other someone) but somehow, as far as I've been told, he (as the certain someone else) has been…. Sweet with her… And, and I think, or better this someone who told me thought, that… S-she liked it?"

Amy was blushing a little.

…….

"I-I know! I know what you mean, Espio, and I'm agree… It's absolutely despicable, not to mention… Wrong. But, but try to understand her, she was a little insecure and depressed, she felt all alone and he… He said she was sweet…THAT CERTAIN SOMEONE, OF COURSE!! We're still talking about that someone that this other someone who knew her, told me about… Eheheheheheheheheh… Gulp… Anyway, the someone else that was molesting her than decided to let her go and said that, that… He would come back! Well, that's not exactly what he said but he hinted it, somehow… What do you think this girl is supposed to do?"

…….

"Yeah, you're right! Even if he's been nice with her (in is own way), that was still a non-consensual sexual harassment, so she will have to resist him better, next time! Thank you Espy, you're a good counselor!"

With that said, the pinky girl left the room.

After a moment, Espio broke his concentration and, for some reason, he found himself with the biggest headache Mobiankind has ever known…

Amy sighed. She wasn't convinced by Espio's "words"… For motives that went beyond her comprehension, she wanted to see that mysterious black hedgehog again…

Not only that. She wanted him to make her feel special… She wanted him to be with her…

**_No, no, what am I thinking? I can't let that jerk, or anyone else for that matter, to play with my feelings again… I won't let him to destroy my security! Next time, I WILL FIGHT HIM! I SWEAR!!!_**

But, of course, she was only fooling herself… As usual.

* * *

"Let's get serious now!" Yelled the dark speedster.

Tails's body was tense. Aware. Prepared…

Or so he thought.

What he saw next, was highly unexpected.

Shadow curled into a ball, a ball of spines (like a pinhead), and started to circling on his spot… Gaining speed… Waiting…

Finally, he attacked.

The spine ball went on the kit at an impressive, almost ridiculous, speed.

Tails side jumped at the very nick of time, narrowly avoiding a lethal impact… Not without a price, though.

The rolling pinhead managed to hit his left side, cutting the flesh and leaving a very bad looking wound.

The vulpine found himself cringing in pain while turning his head in search of his opponent…

And to his utter disbelieve…

Shadow was standing above a bunch of trees… Eradicated, slashed trees.

"Gulp."

An appropriate comment, indeed.

"That, my friend, was a Spin Dash!" The blackhog said with a grin.  
Originality wasn't the key word there.

"And this…"

"What?"

"… IS A HOMING ATTACK!!!"

Shadow jumped in midair and curled in the same ball… Only this time, it was floating in midair!

Miles was… Well, you can imagine it.

After a millisecond, the physic law's defying spine ball of doom (now, that's an original name), launched itself toward the Kitsune who, moved more by fear and conservation instincts than everything else, dodged at the very last second.

But Shadow wasn't finished… Still in is rollin' form, he deviated and went in hot pursuit of his yellow target.

Which was now spinning his namesakes like mad in the desperate attempt to escape the crazy pinhead from Hell (here's another fancy name for the thing).

Suddenly… His enhanced brain came out with an idea.

He jumped in mid air and gained altitude, the sphere immediately followed, and than… He managed to kick the curled hedgehog right in the spike less zone…

Figures…

… Sending it right back in the ground with an ominously thud!

Immediately, Tails tried another falling missile attack on his target but Shadow came out from the newer crater and heavily punched him in the belly, blocking his descent.

The kit was lying on the soil, clenching his stomach and throwing out some blood.

The hedgehog was standing nearby, bruised and over all, fairly pissed off.

Tails seemed to be a far greater fighter that he previously thought…

"I… Cough… Am not… Cough… Finished yet!

… And more stubborn.

In watching this, Blaze was experiencing immense distress… As a matter of fact, she was burning inside.

Not a pun.

* * *

**The day before.**

Flames were Blaze's closest companions, yet they were also her worst enemies. They have caused so much pain in the feline's life to the point that she almost wished her own death.

Of course, they wouldn't allow her to escape to easily… They were always there for her.

When she was born, they were there.

When she accidentally burnt her room, they were there.

When she got mad at her first boyfriend, they were there.

When Eggman attacked… When herself and her parents were captured alive by the SWATBots… When she couldn't contain herself anymore… They were there.

And they would kill everybody.

That was her tragedy, her curse, the worst thing that the flames did to her… They didn't allow her to feel emotions.

She couldn't love.

She couldn't hate.

She couldn't cry.

Otherwise, people would die.

Just like her family did.

She was literally burning from the inside of her body and soul… And the pain was unbearable.

"Blaze…"

She slowly turned her head to look at her unexpected guest.

A young, green haired, flower dressed, very familiar little girl.

"Cosmo? What are you doing here, in my room? Are you feeling any better?"

Cosmo was standing tall the cat, with sorrowful yet comprehensive eyes. She set on Blaze's bed, near the fiery warrior herself. She stared at her eyes with an hurtful expression for a couple of minutes.

Reading them…  
"What are you doing?" The pyrokinetic queen asked.

Tears descended from the younger girl's blue eyes. Tears of sadness. Tears of compassion.

Before Blaze could do anything, Cosmo embraced her.

The cat was taken by surprise, she didn't know what was going on!

"Oh Blaze… I'm so sorry."

She was even more confused now…

"I-I can see it, now… The flames that are consuming your very soul."

She was simply astonished!

"How? How did you…"

"I have a gift, Blaze, or rather a curse… Something that I was born with… Something I didn't ask to have… I can look inside other people's souls." Cosmo replied, still hugging the dumbfounded cat girl. "When, when I came here and met all of you… I immediately noticed you. I-I just gave a quick glare at your eyes and, and… I saw… The flames."

Blaze was silent… Her gaze was lost on a empty space.

"I could see it, now. I saw what the flames have done to you… Oh Blaze… Nobody should suffer such torment, such pain, especially not a kind and caring person like you."

And now, she was confused again.

"I know that you didn't trust me the first time we met and, quite frankly, you had all the rights to be suspicious, but than you thought that I could do good for Tails and that's because you cared for him like a good friend should do."

And Blaze the Cat was now burning… But not because of the flames.

Guilt. She felt tremendously guilty for even considering this sweet, little girl as a possible enemy. This stranger that seemed to know her better than herself… This stranger that seemed to understand her so well…

"Don't feel guilty... You don't deserve to add anymore sorrow to your heart." The hugging girl muttered.

Cosmo and Blaze were so similar… They were born with unrequited gifts and they both suffered and still suffer because of that.

So similar.

For the first time since forever, Blaze wanted to cry.

But she knew she couldn't, everybody would die if she would let herself go.

"You can cry if you want." Stated Cosmo.

"No.. I can't."

"Yes, you can… Don't worry, the flames won't hurt us. I won't let them…"

Suddenly, the cat girl felt a strange energy coming down through her body… It was so warm and peaceful… So harmonious.

She cried.

She cried, long and loud.

She cried freely.

And it was beautiful.

She had finally released her inner emotions… She could feel again and all because of the innocence and purity of this young being that was currently hugging her!

She was healed.

Blaze hugged back the little miracle maker, still crying happily.

"Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

"Your welcome."

Tears of joy from both the girls where gently spread in their respective faces.

A few minutes went by, before Blaze let a very important topic came out of her head.

"Cosmo… What happened to you, today?"

Somehow, Cosmo was expecting this. She remembered someone else (someone really important to her), asking her the same question earlier, when she awoke.

* * *

**_"Uuuuh… Where am I?"_**

**_"COSMO! ARE YOU ALLRIGHT!!?"_**

**_"Please, don't scream Tails."_**

**_"Whoops. Sorry there. You acted strange after Shadow appeared…"_**

**_"….. Shadow…"_**

**_"Cosmo… What happened to you? Did you… See something that scared you?"_**

**_"…."_**

**_"Cosmo, you wanna talk about it?"_**

**_"I didn't see anything… I just… I'm fine."_**

**_"You had a seizure…"_**

**_"Tails… Please, I don't want to talk about it."_**

**_"… Ok, no problem. The only thing that matters to me, is your well being."_**

**_"That's very sweet and.. By the way, thank you for saving my life… I saw what you did back there… I was aware all the time. I'm so lucky of having a friend like you!"_**

**_"Yeah… A friend."_**

**_"But… Now you're going to fight him, right?"_**

**_"Yep! I told you I'd do anything to protect you, didn't I?"_**

**_"Please, don't!"_**

**_"What?"_**

**_"You don't know what he's capable of, you don't know what he's gone through in all of his life!"_**

**_"And you do?"_**

**_"I could see it in his very soul… That's why I was so scared."_**

**_"You WHAT!?"_**

**_"Yes… I also have this ability, besides talking to the plants. I'm sorry I didn't tell you before._**

**_"It's ok, I guess… Well, you should rest now."_**

**_"Promise me you won't face him!"_**

**_"Cosmo… I can't."_**

**_"I DON'T WANT YOU TO GET YOURSELF KILLED, TAILS! ESPECIALLY NOT FOR ME!!"_**

**_"COSMO!!! HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT!?"_**

**_"……."_**

**_"S-sorry, I shouldn't have yelled."_**

**_"Sigh… Sob…"_**

**_"Cosmo… Please, don't cry. Look at me. Just look at me. I won't get myself killed."_**

**_"Promised?"_**

**_"Yep!"_**

**_"O-ok…"_**

**_"Will you smile now?"_**

**_"Mmmh…"_**

**_"Oh yes you will… IT'S TICKLING TIME!!"_**

**_"Oh, oh, ehi, stop it! Eheheheheheheh… Seriously, stop it! Ha ha ha ha ha ha!!"_**

* * *

"Cosmo, are you alright?" Asked a concerned Blaze.

"Yeah… I'm fine. I don't want to talk about it, if you don't mind."

"Not at all. You helped me so much, you saved me, you know?"

"Well…" She was blushing a little at that remark.

"Don't say another word… From this moment on, you are my sister!"

A sister? Did she hear it right? Someone was actually saying, no, declaring, that to her?

"I… I've never had a sister…"

"You have it now." And Blaze hugged an over joyful Cosmo.

"Thank you, I'm so happy!"

"No, no… Thank you for being here for me. I love you, sis."

"I love you too."

* * *

Thanks to Cosmo's handy work, Blaze was now able to have a better control of her powers and free to feel any emotions she wanted to feel.

That girl… The one that now she considered a sister… Was definetelly not just an harmless, cute kid (and not only because of her appearance), she was a very powerful being, perhaps even more that she could imagine, and she was yet to uncover her true abilities…

Right now, however, her attention, as well as everyone else's, was focused on the battle between the Ultimate Life Form and the Vulpine Wonder.

And Shadow was winning.

"Give up, fox, you're in no condition to continue… Surrender and become my follower."

"Never… I won't give up… I've made a promise." Tails muttered, remembering very well such thing.

"Hmpf."

The kit grabbed Shadow's ankle, desperately trying to elevate himself.

"I won't surrender… Ultimate Lame Form!"

Shadow kicked him in the face and the Kitsune flied some meters back. Than, Shadow picked out from his quills his green emerald and shouted.

"CHAOS CO…"

A huge fist on his left cheek abruptly interrupted the sentence, sending Shadow over a bunch of trees.

Knuckles have had it.

A very livid Shadow came out from the demolished trees.

"What the HELL do you think you're doing!?"

Knuckles smirked.

"Ensuring a fair play. You were about to summon a Chaos Control with that emerald, that's cheating!"

The black one was genuinely surprised, not only for the fact that this echidna seemed to know the emerald's powers but also because the fist he just received was hurting way more that he thought it would do… He was having balance problems and his view sight was temporarily confused… Not to mention the deep, bloody wound on his face.

Those giant spiked hands were no joke… Not. At. All.

Shadow was mad now, he would not let this dreadlocked freak to interfere with his plans, he was about to launch a Chaos Spear over his new threat when…

Something, or rather, someone hit him on the right side of his body. The impact was fairly brutal, even for the hedgehog, who collapsed on the ground immediately after…

He couldn't believe it… It wasn't possible… How did he learn that technique? And when?

It was in that historic day that, Shadow the Hedgehog, the supreme soldier, felt victim of his own move… Applied by someone else.

Miles "Tails" Prower, actually managed to perform a semi-decent Spin Dash over the surprised crimson eyed warrior…

Everybody was absolutely shocked for that, even Espio.

After that last effort, however, Tails fell to the ground, unable to go on…

Shadow on the other hand…

"Very impressive, young one. If you had quills you would have done a bigger damage… You won."

… Just surrendered!?

For the second time in just a few lines, everybody was absolutely shocked, even Espio.

"I won?" Came the weak reply from the amazed victor.

"Indeed. I will respect my side of the bargain and spare your friend. As for my gem…"

"Yes?" By the way, he was still limp on the soil.

"CHAOS CONTROL!!!" Screamed Shadow, emerald in hand.

And with a flash of green light… Both victor and would be victor, disappeared into nothingness.

Knuckles looked back at the others, bewildered.

A general "OH FUCK!" Followed.

* * *

**The day before. In an undisclosed location.**

**_"You're getting softer…"_**

"Shut up! I know what I'm doing here. The kid has potential and I want to find out how much exactly. My decisions are not your concern!"

**_"Eh eh eh eh… I'm just warning you, Shadow… Do not forget what happened last time… Do not forget what happened to Her."_**

"I won't, Mephiles, as sure as Hell I won't!"

**_"I dearly hope it… Brother."_**


	8. Chapter 8

**8.**

She was troubled, worried and scared.

She usually was that way.

He was standing right in front of her.

Red eyes. Emotionless face.

They were both observing each other… Not daring to speech a single word.

They had differences, the most obvious were physical…

She was a young little girl of an unspecified race, with big loving / fearful azure eyes, light brown skin, greenish leaf like eyes, a flower petals like gown and… A weird, mysterious crimson gem planted (sorry for the pun) on her chest.

Her name was Cosmo…

She was found by the Freedom Fighters and saved from several bad guys who wanted her skin… She has developed feelings toward a Kitsune, a boy of her age, who promised to protect her with his own life if necessary…

And right now, that vulpine was keeping his word… By fighting a merciless, yet suffering, black hedgehog who was hired to kill her, for some reason…

And she wasn't with him… She refused to live the base with the others, she didn't want to see that slaughter… She felt immensely guilty for her cowardice.

After all, Tails was fighting for her.

And than, there was this individual… Who was right in front of her.

He wasn't young, the signs of his age were fairly evident… Despised the fact that he was not a biological being… At least, no more.

His name was Charles Hedgehog, Sir Charles Hedgehog…

A once proud noble Mobian, personal friend and councilor of king Maximillian Acorn, that was captured and turned into a Badnik robot by world's greatest foe, Doctor Eggman.

Miraculously freed from mind control, Chuck became an undercover agent for the Freedom Fighters Militia. The informations, he was able to snatch, granted the Militia of a few important victories over the robotic empire… And now, he had some more of them.

There was just a little problem, though… He was sure he did "dial" the right number, the room looked absolutely familiar from the giant computer screen his face was appearing on, yet… There was no under aged soldier anywhere in sight… No Freedom Fighters, not at all.

Instead, to Chuck's surprise, he was greeted by a funny looking plant… Who wasn't very pleased to see him, as a matter of fact, she was horrified.

The last time she saw the robotizied hedgehog, she fainted quite unceremoniously… He remembered it.

An imprecise number of minutes went by, before one of the two managed to break the awkward silence.

"Ehrrr… Hello there, kid. Youuuu… Wouldn't happen to know where the others are?"

She snapped out from her trance, quite violently may I add, recollected herself and than answered.

"N-no.. I-I d-don't…" It was like if she was losing her speech again.

"Ok, ok… Listen, I have a few very important informations to deliver… Are there anyone else in the base or nearby?" He asked.

"N-no, only me."

"Are you sure?" He almost pleaded to find somebody to give his news, anybody… Besides her.

"Yeah…" She whispered.

"Sigh… I guess I have no other choice, than."

Sir Charles's awkwardness was pretty clear, if not in his robotic face, in his body language: he was scratching the back of his head in the classic embarrassed way and, also, trying to find a more comfortable position on his chair…

He didn't want to reveal his informations to the little girl for one, very, simple reason...

Those informations were about her… And her own origins.

After a couple of days of hacking, searching and risking capture at every moment, on the Empire's mainframe… He finally discovered some precious news about the girl in question. Although he still couldn't find anything useful about that so-called Project: Doomsday.

He had no choice, if he could he would have called another time, hoping to find at least Amy (well, maybe Espio) but he didn't have that luxury… He'd have to spit it out now or never!

"You're… Cosmo, right?"

She nodded, still trembling.

"My name is Charles Hedgehog but you can call me uncle Chuck."

He's always loved kids, especially since the day he lost his favorite nephew… In a way, one could say that, for Chuck, each and every member of the Militia were his nephews.

He would tremendously suffer when one of them would be killed or worse.

War knows no feelings… It may seemed a corny line but it's a fact, none the less.

"C-Chuck?"

"Exactly, young one, and don't be scared of my ehrrrr… Metallic vest, here. I'm not a mindless murderer… I only like to kill some time!"

"Ancestral" wasn't quite the right word to describe the rate of the hedgebot's sense of humor.

She managed to giggle, anyway… After all, she was a kid.

"See… You're cuter when you smile, young Miles is a fortunate lad."

And, of course, Cosmo blushed.

After easing the atmosphere, Chuck went serious again.

"Ok, I need you to listen what I'm about to say, very carefully. Because…" The Robohog hesitated a little. "… It's about YOU!" He ultimately added.

* * *

"YOU!!!" A certain vulpine yelled. "DON'T YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN!!! I WAS SCARED TO DEATH!!"

A shade like figure countered.

"It was just a tele-transportation device, don't be such a wimp."

"A WIMP!? YOU COULD AT LEAST ADVICE ME BEFORE!!! I… I thought I was gonna die! And.. And right now, I can NOT die. I'm still needed."

The shade didn't hmpfed (as he usually does), instead he… Seemed to understand.

"Yeah… You have a great reason to live for, Miles. You have your friends, your ideals… And that girl you just fought for… I envy you, you know?"

Miles "Tails" Prower was astonished at that revelation…

The Ultimate Life Form, the perfect warrior and fighter… Envied a little kid? Was he mocking him? Or maybe…. There was something about him that definetelly intrigued the kit.

"Shadow… Why did you let me win?"

Shadow turned his head to face his younger interlocutor.

He smiled. He was actually smiling.

"Because Miles… You had a gift, that I couldn't afford to have."

"And what would that be?" Tails was genuinely curious now.

Shadow responded.

"A natural birth…"

* * *

"WHAT THE FUCK!!!?"

A noticeably pissed off voice yelled. Amazingly enough, it wasn't Knuckles's…

It was Blaze's!

After the miraculous cure that her new sister, Cosmo, has applied to her… Blaze the Cat was no longer forced to suppress her stronger emotions and a change in her personality became a little evident… A lot, actually.

Everyone was staring at her, almost in shock, even Knuckles… No one of them was expecting an out burst so burning from the fiery cat… Which it was comprehensible since she was usually the calm, quite and reasonable person that she used to be…

Well… Not anymore!

"WE MUST FIND TAILS AT ONCE!!!"

"Uhm, Yeah but where to look?"

"WE ehrrrrrr…"

"Precisely… Ok, here's the plan. We split apart and look out for the entire zone. The Chaos Control wasn't too much powerful so they should be near…" Muttered Knuckles.

"The what?" Asked Amy.

"No shitting time to explain… LET'S SPLIT UP, NOW!!!"

"Ok but… EHI WHERE DO WE MEET LATER!!?" Cried Amy but the others were already gone… "Snap! They never wait!" She took out from nowhere her trademark war hammer and started running toward the forest, hoping to catching up with the rest of the group…

* * *

"What do you mean, 'a natural birth'?"

"Simply what I said… A natural birth that provided you of your natural skills. I was interested in such skills, as you know…"

Tails was confused, what did the hedgehog mean by that? Unless…

"You know why they call me, The Ultimate Life Form, Miles?"

"Because… Your uber awesome?" A childish answer from an adult… Child.

Shadow grinned a little at the remark… Only to went dead serious again, almost scaring the kit.

"Because I was meant to be that… By my creators."

Tails gulped!

**_Creators!? Was he… made!?_** Thought the very perceptive cub.

"Project: Shadow… That's how the humans used to call me. The most enhanced and combat skilled artificial life form ever developed by Man!"

That was a shocking… He was not a Mobian, he was a product of the Overlanders' science and technology.

"Are you a robot?" The fox innocently asked.

Shadow almost grimed at the question, visibly insulted.

"Of course not! I'm not a worthless hunk of junk… I'm simply artificial made."

"Like a clone or something?"

"Not quite… Well, in a way, yes, they used an anthropomorphic hedgehog's DNA for my basilar form and shape… But not just that. They chose to use a hedgehog for a precise reason."

"What? What reason?" The fox was over excited to know.

"Because all the previous creatures made from other species' DNA, or to use a human term, all the 'samples'…" Shadow didn't hide a hint of disgust in saying that. "… They died since they were unable to sustain…" He took a deep breath, to add suspense and finally said: "… Chaos energy!"

And Tails gulped again. Shadow continued.

"The chaos energy… From THIS emerald!!!"

And the green Chaos Emerald was now glowing like mad in the hand of the artificial made hedgehog.

* * *

"Oh yeah, Let's split up… GREAT IDEA, KNUCKLES!!"

There are days in which things seem to be so perfect that they couldn't possibly be true… This was NOT one of those days.

Things weren't looking perfect. Not. At. All.

Badniks were raining from the sky.

"If I'll survive this, I swear I'm going to fry that echidna's ASS!!!"

It's been a while since Blaze went face to face with these kind of robots.

They were the classic feral animals based models, the first bots developed by the evil genius himself, Eggman and, therefore, the easiest to deal with.

It was a group of about 20 robots: A bunch of bees, giant crabs and motorized rhinos…

"What is wrong with Eggman? Oh yeah… He's crazy like a flaming giraffe from a Salvador D'Alì's painting!"

I have to admit, that was a remarkable one.

The Niks attacked all at once only to find their demise into Blaze's flames.

With her feline's natural agility she easily avoided most of the shots her adversaries were launching at her, than responded with her own.

Fireballs were summoned in her hands and mercilessly shot to the animal bots.

In just a short minute, the job was done… No sweat, really. The cat was satisfied with her handy work.

"Too easy."

She approached the now smoking bodies of the Badniks to ensure their complete off-lining.

What she found… Inside one of those corpses… Was definetelly not amusing.

She put a hand into the big hole that one of her fireballs had caused, only to find the very heart of the Badnik.

Limp in her hand, was now the robot's main power source.

A little bird… A Dead little blue Flicky bird.

"No…"

It's tiny body was a bloody mess and, to Blaze's utter terror, partially burnt.

"NO! I DID IT AGAIN, NOOOO!!!"

She started to check all the other metal corpses in hope, in desperate hope, to find some other animal still alive…

There were none.

Before the coming of the Roboticizer, Eggman's Badniks' used tiny creatures as their main alimentation… Therefore, the animals had to be alive, otherwise the robots wouldn't work.

Blaze knew it… Knew that there were living beings inside the bot's shells but she didn't care, she just wanted to… Burn things up.

"NOOOOOOOO!!!!"

She collapsed on her knees, tearful eyes, and hugged her legs…

"Bad girl. Bad girl. You're a bad girl. Do not burn your parents, little Blaze. You're a very bad girl."

And she lost it.

The guilt, the pain, the memories… It was simply too much.

She was done for…

Slowly, she laid down on her left side, still hugging her knees, crying silently.

Alone, once again.

* * *

"And that's pretty much it."

Speechless. Astonished. Wide eyed. Over all shocked.

All of them were useful nice terms but they didn't quite get the rightful way to describe Cosmo's current mood.

She stood still, listening to Sir Charles's words… Hanging in them like a fish.

Over the past 30 minutes, her young ears had just been filled with the most important informations of her life… Her true origins… The Nature's latest extravaganza.

Now she knew where she came from… And she was even more scared, yet determined by this knowledge.

"Seedrian?"

"That's how Eggman named you right after he discovered your existence… He wanted to capture you alive so he could study you, he is a scientist after all… But he changed his mind, apparently."

"So he's not going to destroy the county?"

Sir Charles put on a very big deal of an effort to avoid the urge of laughing like a crazy hyena on a cat nap trip.

Than answered.

"No… He's still going to unleash Project: Doomsday in less than 3 days… But now he ALSO wants to kill you in the process."

Cosmo gulped.

"It seems that he's interests toward you weren't fundamental for his plans… I wonder why he made the threat in the first place? I don't know… There's something stinky about this plot."

"Perhaps, the Author is a little messed up?"

"You could say that…"

….. No comment.

"Sir Charles… Uncle Chuck, thank you for your help, I'll be always grateful for that."

"Don't even mention it… I have to go, now. Farewell, little flower, and good luck." And he hang up.

So… She was a Seedrian. A fancy name, indeed. Even if it was chosen by the fat bastard who killed her parents. At least she now had and identity, she was happy for that.

And so, Cosmo the Seedrian, finally got out from the base and went in search of the others.

* * *

"YOUR FATHER IS AN EMERALD!!!?"

Annoyance was the key word. Shadow didn't know if this now irritating kid was joking with him or else…

"Oh for the love… NO!!! I was made from chaos manipulated DNA!"

"I-I know, I'm sorry… It's just that…"

"It's too amazing to believe? Yeah, I know." At this, Shadow's gaze frowned and turned away. "Now you know why I envy you, kid… You, your skills, your abilities, are all the result of natural evolution, thousands and thousands years of it. As a matter of fact… If my instincts aren't fooling me, you could very well be the next stage in the Kitsune race…"

Tails was listening with great interest and concentration.

"… I, on the other hand, have nothing to do with nature and evolution… I'm a mutation, Miles, an artificial made freak! I was the product of Man's insanity… Of Man's pitiful desire to control Chaos… To be a God! Humans made me for the sole purpose of being a weapon… I wasn't allowed to feel emotions… I wasn't allowed to love… I've learned that on my expenses."

The vulpine didn't know what to say, what to think… he's just witnessed the most feared and ferocious killer in the whole world, confessing his weaknesses, his doubts, his feelings, to the young bewildered two-tailed fox he said he envied, none the less!

"Shadow… Why are you telling this to me?" It was the right question pronounced in the right tone.

The not-so Ultimate Life Form's face turned once again to stare at the vulpine.

"Because… We both have similarities. We both suffered, even if for different reasons, because of the humans and we both have powers and abilities beyond imagination… Although, you are yet to discover them."

Tails's ears perked. He had powers like Shadow's? Could he use the emeralds? Again, those childish thoughts…

"Do you remember when you told me that everybody has a choice?"

He remembered, it was yesterday… Shadow said that he was serving the Overlanders because he had no choice than Tails came out with that clichéd sentence.

"Yeah?" Tails simply replied.

"Well… I happened to make one, lately. Something revolutionary and quite daring, I may say… But if will work, than this world is going to be a better place."

The hedgehog's eyes were now pervaded by a strange light.

"Therefore I want to ask you: will you join me?"

"What?" The cub wasn't expecting that question… Than again, Shadow wasn't exactly a predictable person.

"I want you to join me, Miles…Join me and together, we could rewrite the future!" Shadow's voice seemed a little different from before… It seemed more grave… And menacing.

And, for an instant, Shadow's eyes turned green… Just for a second, though.

Than came the kit's confident answer.

"Thanks for the offer but the answer is no. My place is here, with the Militia… With my family." He admitted it, the F.F. were his family… His only family left. And there was Cosmo too.

Shadow looked feeling less and stoical as he usually does.

"It's a pity... But it is your choice and I respect that."

The blackhog was about to leave… Before saying one last thing to the young warrior.

"Sayonara… Miles "Tails" Prower." And than, he vanished into nothingness thanks to Chaos Control.

Tails stood there for some minutes, reflecting on the latest events… The arrival of Cosmo, his parents death (it amazed him to actually think of that like if it was nothing), Eggman's threat, G.U.N.'s not-so secret army, Shadow the Hedgehog and the Chaos Emeralds…

What was that expression that Knuckles used to mutter in these moments? Oh yeah… Everything has been one Chaosdamned cluster fuck!

Suddenly, realization stroke!

"EHI! HOW DO I SUPPOSE TO GET OUT OF HERE!!?"

Shadow's undisclosed location… An underwater cave.

Brilliant.

* * *

"WHERE THE FUCK AM I SUPPOSED TO LOOK!!!?" An angry as ever echidna yelled to no one in particular.

That's Knuckles for you.

The leader of the local F.F. Militia was wandering relentlessly inside the great forest, looking up and down for his two-tailed companion and his dark captor… He was pretty clueless, I might add.

Perhaps the idea of splitting up the group in order to cover more territory, was starting to back stab him…

Last minute plans… How he despised them! Than again, It'd be easier to point out what he did NOT despised in his life…

"When I'll find those two… Chaos, stop my hands, 'cause I'm gonna bash 'em for good!!"

It sounded more like a prophecy rather than a menace.

Knuckles stopped dead.

Inexistent ears perked up.

His eyes focused.

He heard a noise… A very unfamiliar noise.

It sounded metallic, robot like, but somehow, it seemed… Less heavy, like a small foot…

Strange…

Here's that noise again… And another and another and another…

Plenty noises.

Now he was sure of one thing… It was a whole group… And they were heading for his own direction…

They were coming for him!

The echidna entered in fighting stance, ready to take on whoever or whatever they were.

He would be ready… He would be prepared…

And than… He saw them.

The first one…

And the second…

And the third…

A little army came out from the thick forest… They were robot, Eggman's robots (no doubt about it), only… Smaller… And…

Younger.

For the first time since forever… Knuckles the echidna, the fearless cerulean eyed warrior, the stubborn and proud commander, the one who's always prepared for everything…

Found himself unprepared… Insecure… Doubtful…

Terrified.

What he saw that day and what he was about to do… He would relive it in his nightmares for the rest of his mortal life.

He was standing still, sweating profusely, in front of the now well defined small army…

…Of robotizied kids.

Mobian kids from any race, not older than 6-7 years… Mobian kids turned into mindless killer machines…

Kids.

JUST KIDS!!!

And Knuckles could see that now… His mind was imaging the whole scene…

The cries of terror… The begs for mercy… The painful, ominous transformation process… And the laughs… The evil, sadistic laughs of the one responsible for this.

For ALL of this.

Eggman didn't spare even the children…

At this point, something, in the echidna's head… Snapped.

Before he could even register it, he was already on them…

Smashing their tiny bodies.

Crushing their skulls.

Ripping them apart.

Feeling their oil black blood on his fists… On his face… Everywhere.

Crying the most loud battle cry he could ever master.

And after a while… He started to enjoy it.

He laughed…

And laughed…

And laughed…

And sang (?)

"One, two, three little Mobians…"

Three more corpses.

"For, five, six little Mobians…"

Again.

"Seven, eight, nine and finally, ten little Mobians…"

And than...

"… There were none."

Indeed.

They were all dead. All scrap.

He was on top of them… Covered with their own blood… Screaming like possessed.

His voice roared in all the forest for everybody to hear it… Especially, a certain ninja who happened to be around.

* * *

"What… What was that!?"

Amy heard it as well… The horrible scream in the distance.

She's been running around in the wood for some time now… She was lost in the darkest zone of the forest… Were the ancient trees were so thick that she could not distinguish day from night.

That… was discomforting her, or better, it was frightening her.

Alone in the dark… Not a funny thing at all.

"Blast that Knuckles! Why all the groups have to split up? It's like… Like in that stupid ancient TV show that I've heard about…"

For a minute, a peculiar scenario came in the hyperactive mind of Amy Rose…

She imagined herself in the shape of a chubby four eyed nerd, Blaze wearing a kitsch purple dress and with awful long red hair, Espio with shaggy hair and a ridiculously slim body, Knuckles (all muscles) in a white pullover and orange foulard and with… Blond dreadlocks… And finally, Tails in the form of a dog… A talking dog, none the less.

Amy, as the nerdy fatty, muttered something about "having a new mystery to solve" or something, while Knuckles, as the blonde idiot, was telling everybody to split up for whatever stupid reason…

The shaggy Espio and the doggy Tails weren't quite agree with the plan, so the geeky Amy offered them a reward in order to ensure their cooperation…

Dog snacks…

And the creepy part was that they accepted it… Both of them did.

"Ok, now THAT was weird…" Said the pink hedgehog to herself, now back in her original shape and reality.

Suddenly, she felt lonely no more.

Someone was observing her… she could feel it and her spine was under a shiver attack for that.

Without even thinking about it, she started running like if it was no tomorrow… Only to find her face against a very familiar white haired chest.

"Well, hello there… I didn' know you were THAT eager to meet again!"

She slowly elevate her eyes to his red ruby ones… Her face was kind of a show.

**_Oh no! Not him, anyone but him!_**

Her black and red harasser was right there in front of her… With a malicious grin on his lips.

"You can't live without me, do you?" Asked Shadow, not hinting his ironical tone.

"Why you…" She angrily said before trying to hit him with her hammer… Only to be immobilized once again… Against a tree.

"You know… This is the third time you tried to bump me with that little toy of yours… Do you like it violent or what?"

She was back on the aforementioned tree with Shadow blocking her possible escapes with his arms… He was dangerously near. She could sense his warm breath on her face and the rest of his body touching her own… They were eye to eye.

Wanting, determined eyes to scared and insecure eyes…

"L-let me go!" She said, desperately trying to subside his grip on her.

"No." Was his simple answer.

She was on the verge of tears, frightened like a little defenseless kid… She felt like one.

"W-why? Why me?"

"Because you remind me of a person I knew… A very important person to me."

And it was true, in a sort of way…

In the beginning, Shadow's interest toward this girl were rather venal… But now, after encountering her again, what had started like a timid sensation, became a certainly the more he looked at her form…

There was something in her body, in her personality, in her gorgeous eyes, even in her voice that reminded him… Of Her.

The only one he shared a link with…

The only one that cared for him…

The only being he's ever loved.

Amy was now more confused than ever. A gazillion of questions were running up and down her brain.

She didn't even have the time to re-organize her ideas into rational thoughts… He begun kissing her neck… Softly.

She was tense… Terrified and tense… Yet, she couldn't help but moan.

Her black assaulter was covering the entire left side of the neck with his mouth and she was simply unable to resist it… Both physically and emotionally.

While doing so… His hands were having a good time with her body, holding it by it's sides in a firm grip.

He was about to do more… When something strange happened: his fur, from black, was slowly turning grey and his eyes (she could notice between her moans) were now greenish and… Cat like.

He stopped.

He almost let his "brother" go!

He released the girl from his embrace… His fur and eyes came back to normal.

Than he simply walked away, giving one last glare at the female hedgehog.

"Make no mistake, pinky, I will come back pretty soon and when that will happen… We will finish what we have started." With that said, he was gone… once again.

Amy Rose collapsed on her knees and for the next few minutes, she cried silently, hugging her knees… Feeling dirty.

The little, lost Pink Riding Hood… In the Big Bad Wolf's forest.

* * *

He was finally out.

After swimming for some miles and other unspeakable efforts… Miles "Tails" Prower managed to exit that stupid hidden cave in which Shadow had left him.

Luckily, the injuries he got from their fight were long gone by now… Another interesting effect of Chaos Control, he discovered, was the ability to heal wounds and that's exactly what it did to his and Shadow's.

**_Shadow the Hedgehog… Man, that guy is a puzzle. I wonder if I'll ever meet him again? Gee, I hope not…_**

He couldn't help but feel sympathy toward him…

"Enough with that… I need to find the others now… And kick some egg shaped butt!"

That last sentence sadly reminded him that there were only 3 days left before the unleashing of the doctor's latest scheme and…

1) They still didn't know exactly what it was… Or better, they imagined it had something to do with those suspicious Eggman's marked Big Foots in that G.U.N. base but… It seemed too obvious, somehow.

2) Why the mad scientist was going to wait an entire week before launching the attack? Perhaps, it wasn't still ready?

3) What part did Cosmo have in all of this?

He would find out the answers, eventually… Not too late, hopefully.

"Hello, Miles…"

The vulpine stopped dead on his track.

That voice… That horrible, hateful, irritant voice…

He would recognize it everywhere…

"… I've been waiting for you." Doctor Eggman's voice said.

* * *

Cosmo was wandering quite randomly in the woods by now (this has been the key phrase, today), her mind was focused, needless to say, on Tails.

For obvious reasons, she didn't know the out coming of his fight against Shadow and, of course, she was slightly preoccupied about it.

She knew that both her life and Tails's future were to be decided in that battle and she dearly hoped that Tails, somehow, had won it… Somehow.

"Tails… I will find you!" Determination in her words.

It didn't matter how frightening and dangerous that hedgehog could be (and she knew exactly how, having looked inside his soul), she would have never abandon the kit's side again… She wanted to be with him… Forever.

To be with him? Forever? Once again, she felt strange… Yet, light hearted at the same time.

She just confessed to herself her feelings toward him.

Another good reason for finding him.

Than, she heard a soft cry.

She decided to investigate the source of it… And she found it, in a open grass field, curled into a ball of sobs.

"BLAZE!!"

Immediately, Cosmo ran in the direction of her newly acquired older sister.

"Blaze, what happened? Blaze, please…" Her pleadings, as well as her attempts to restrain her from the ground, turned out to be pointless…

The cat girl was a prisoner of her own mind.

"Blaze has been a bad girl. Very bad. She burnt little animals because it was fun! Bad girl." The traumatized feline managed to mutter between her sobs.

Cosmo was panicking, she didn't know what was going on with her…

Than her gaze posed itself over a group of dismantled robot shells… And small animal's burnt corpses…

And now she knew.

"Oh no… Blaze." She was almost experiencing physical pain herself for her sister's conditions… She was THAT empathic.

Not wasting a second, she lied within the cat and embraced her with all her might. She wanted to consol her, to make her feel better, to let her know that she was there for her… Just like any real sister would do.

"Sssssh… don't cry little Blaze, it's ok, it wasn't your fault, it wasn't anybody's fault… Except Eggman's. I'm here… I'm with you. Your sister is here for you."

Thankfully, It was working.

"S-sister?"

"Yes… It's me. I won't leave you alone."

"P-promise?"

"I promise. We're a family, aren't we?"

A whole new warm feeling went through Blaze's body while her tears, finally, stopped.

The two sisters stood there for a while… Still embraced.

"Thank you, Cosmo… You saved me again."

"Don't mention it."

Finally they got up.

"Now we'll have to find the others."

"Let's split up!"

"THAT'S THE DUMBEST IDEA THAT… Ehrrrrrr I mean, it's better if we stay united."

"Oh… I can see that."

The cat was taking a mental note to remind herself to cooking her leader's rectal on a barbecue when this story was over.

"Ok, where to look?" Asked the Seedrian.

"Weeeelll… How about, that way?"

The flaming feline pointed in a random direction and than rushed for it.

"EHI!! WAIT UP, SISTER!!!"

Cosmo couldn't help but giggle at herself… It sounded to good, to call someone that way.

"Hmpf. I was right, there's definetelly more of you that meet the eye…"

She was instantly frozen at her spot. She knew this voice… She knew it all too well.

She slowly turned her head only to come face to face with the very reason of her latest nightmares…

Shadow was just a few inches from her… Watching her… Judging her with his bloody eyes.

"You know… It is impolite to look into someone else's soul without permission." He said calmly.

The Seedrian was astonished and petrified by fear… The black one seemed to catch her bewilderment.

"Yes, Cosmo… I know about your powers… I felt your "accidental intrusion" when we met for the first time… I didn't like it a bit. You invaded my privacy and get to know things no one else besides me as ever known."

"I-I didn't do it on purpose… I, I didn't tell anyone, I SWEAR!!!"

Ooooh… She was REALLY terrified now.

Seeing this, Shadow's gaze seemed to soften a little.

"Don't worry… Since your foxy friend managed to win our little friendly competition… I won't kill you."

Cosmo's ears perked.

"He… He won!?"

"Yeah… He did." The hedgehog was smirking in the insides. "He really cares about you… He even turned down my offer to join me and achieve ultimate power, for you and his little group!"

"He did?" Cosmo's heart was singing.

Shadow nodded than changed the topic.

"As far of what you know, or think to know, about my past…"

The girl was focused again.

"If you will EVER tell anybody about it, even accidentally… I will crush you. Am I understood?"

She nodded. He's been deadly clear about it.

"Good. You're a smart plant." And, for the third time in one chapter, Shadow was gone, leaving a concerned flowery girl behind him.

* * *

What is Strength? True Strength? Is it a mood? A way to act? A physical specimen? Or something else?

Whatever it may be… It was, ironically, NOT something that belonged to this broken echidna… Not anymore… Maybe not ever.

Knuckles was still standing in the middle of that mess… Surrounded by all those bodies…

Kids.

Robotizied, mindless slaves of the Eggman Empire… They were alive no more.

Unlike Sir Charles, who's mind miraculously remained intact and ONLY because the Roboticizer was nothing more than a prototype in the time being… Their minds were dead.

There was no come back… For any of them.

Still…

The blood…

The blood was still there… All of it… And all on Knuckles' body.

They were kids… Each and everyone of them was.

And he killed them. He slaughtered them. He crushed them. He…

Was now crying.

It was very out of character for him to do that but, none the less, despised how he hated emotions, despised how he was trained and meant to be… He was still made by flash and bones… He was mortal and, therefore, bound to suffer.

In the end… We all are.

He finally realized that he wasn't alone in that scene… As a matter of fact, someone's been observing him for quite some time now.

The echidna's face was now looking directly in the eyes of his guest.

Espio's expression was contorted and twisted in ways that a simple description would never be able to define… He saw the corpses and so, their killer…

A single figure standing in the middle of a massacre… The sole survivor… Covered in blood…

And Espio saw himself again… Several years ago… In that fatal day, when he lost his first comrades. His family.

Vector the Crocodile.

Charmy the Bee.

Mighty the Armadillo.

And Espio himself.

They, together, were the "Chaotix".

They were young, enthusiastic, proud…

They were mercenaries and that damn good at it.

They'd been hired by an anonymous client to rescue someone for some reason… Espio had suspicions about this job but he knew what the agency's policy said: "Never turn down a job that pays."

Unfortunately, it turned out to be a trap… They have been chosen by Doctor Eggman himself as "sacrificial subjects" to testing his latest robot models…

And so, they ended up in that forest… Surrounded by all those robots.

An army of never seen before Badniks.

An army of heavily armored, close range combat designed machines…

An army… Of robotizied children.

In that tragic day, Espio witnessed the massacre of his companions by the very tiny hands of those childs… All the while he would slaughter them mercilessly in order to survive.

Killing all those innocent boys and girls…

On that day… he was the sole survivor of the carnage.

And to this very day… He still wished he wasn't.

And now… He was reliving the whole scene… With Knuckles in it.

Even after acknowledging the chameleon's presence, the once proud red warrior didn't stop his tears… Again, ironically, he didn't have the strength to do it.

"I-I-I had t-to do it Espio… I HAD NO CHOICE!!! I had no…"

Espio slowly walked over Knuckles's direction, put a hand on his shoulder…

And simply said:

"I know…"

* * *

The doctor wasn't really there (it figures), the voice Tails was hearing was another registered tape from a floating radio right above him…

Not a good sign… The last time he saw that thing…

He dismissed the thought. This was too important.

"If your listening to this registration than you must have encountered my little messenger… AND it means that you're about to face my newest minions!"

"HA! I will tear them apart, no matter what!" Replied the kit to no one in particular… It seemed like a deja-vù.

"Dear, Miles… Do you remember, earlier this week, when my SWATBots killed your parents and burnt your house and their miserable corpses to ashes?"

That bastard!! Of course he remembered!

Angry vicious eyes were showed in the fox's face.

"Weeeelll… Maybe, just maybe… Things… has been… a little… Different… From what they looked." The voice added with a purposely long pause between words… Creating suspense.

The vulpine's ears went straight at the remark. What did he mean, by that?

"You see… I've been doing a lot of stuff in my life: killing people, burning down cities, tortures, robotizations… You got the picture… But there is one thing that I would never do… And that's wasting possible experimental materials!!!"

Something… Deep… Disturbing… Nauseating… Came up in the stomach of the vulpine as he realized what the doctor meant. The voice continued.

"But of course you know how annoying could be to hunt down your pesky little people… They tend to flee when they see me or my robots, I wonder why? Eheheheheheheheheheh…."

"No…"

"And so… I happened to found your family and than I asked to myself… Why not?"

"No…"

"Why don't send my robots to capture them, burning down their house and let their only son to believe that they were dead for good? It sure sounded fun!"

"No.. No.."

"Oooooh… You should have seen them, Miles… You should have seen them, down in my lab, in my capital city… Crying, suffering, bleeding, screaming your name!"

"Nononononononononono…."

"MILES! MILES! PLEASE SAVE US!! NO! NO! PLEASE SPARE US! NOOOOO!!!" Eggman's mockery of Tails's mother. "It was quite amusing I must say."

"YOU SON OF A BIIIIIIIIIIITCH!!!!!"

"If my calculations are correct, which they always are, you should be cursing at me like Hell, right now… Perhaps, it's time for you to meet my latest Badniks… My latest… Two… Badniks. Say hello!"

And so they came…

Tails's eyes were wide.

…Out of their refuge…

Tails's throat was dry.

… Emotionless faces…

Tails's fists where clenching.

… And familiar features…

Tails bit his lower lip into bleeding.

… His parents'.

A scream.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGH!!!!!"

Tails's.

A maniacal laugh.

"WHA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!"

Eggman's.

A robotic voice.

"Vulpine Alert! Vulpine Alert! Priority One: kill the two-tailed rat!"

His father and mother's.

Before his brain could even register it, his body was already moving.

A kick on the head.

Dead was his father.

The voice still laughing.

"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!"

A double tail whip. A body shattered.

Dead was his mother.

Still laughing.

"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!"

A punch on a nearby flying camera, who caught everything, for his master's own amusement.

Laughs.

"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!"

A kick on the floating radio.

The laugh stopped.

"HA HA HA HA H---

An 8 years old orphan, forced into a conflict he had no choice to fight, chosen by nature to do it, who just witnessed his parents' death… Twice.

And he was the one who killed them.

He vomited. For several minutes he did. Until he was empty… Empty from everything…

Pain, sorrow, feelings… All gone.

A empty shell of nothingness.

Broken.

And she saw it.

"Tails…"

And she feared it.

He looked back at Cosmo… But saw a empty space, instead.

Mental trauma. Alienated from reality. Soulless (?)

No.. He still had a soul… It was well hidden, though.

She was sure of that…

And she would heal him… She swore it.

* * *

**Somewhere.**

**_"Awww.. Come on, don't be so hasty, we had fun with the girl, didn't we?"_**

"No, we're not!"

**_"Yes we were…"_**

"No…"

**_"We could if you would let me get out!"_**

"Forget it… I will never let out again! You've caused enough problems in the past…"

**_"Eh eh eh eh… Couldn't help myself. I love to inflict pain and sufferance… I crave destruction!"_**

"That's a good enough reason."

**_"Foolish brother… You really think you can keep me entrapped in your mind for the rest of the eternity? HA! That's impossible even for you… The so-called Ultimate Life Form. Mark my words, Shadow, when I'll get out of here, the first thing I'm going to do will be to make a real woman out of that pinky little girl of yours!"_**

"DON'T YOU DARE!! SHE'S MINE!!"

**_"Just kidding, bro. You're definetelly getting softer you know?"_**

"SHUT UP, FAKER!!"

**_"Excuse me?"_**

"Ehrrrr… I meant, SHUT UP, BROTHER!!"

**_"Whatever… Shall we finally leave this baffling forest and proceed with our plans?"_**

"Indeed. Soon… Very soon… I will avenge her."

**_"Than you will let me go out and play?"_**

"… Maybe."

**_"YAY!"_**


	9. Chapter 9

**9.**

**Saturday morning.**

**1 day before Project: Doomsday.**

It was raining, outside… How appropriate.

In the main room of the local F.F. Militia base, the general mood was reflecting the outside weather…

Things didn't go very well so far… For each and everyone of these young soldiers.

Over the past few days, they've been through a lot, therefore, the mood wasn't positive. Definetelly it wasn't.

And now… Things have gotten even worse.

They were all standing in the middle of the room…

The leader, Knuckles the Echidna.

He was breathing heavily. He had seen this coming a long time ago, he was expecting it and he was ready for it… This time, he was prepared.

He usually considered himself to be strong and determined… However, over the past day, he was forced to came face to face with his weaknesses… And perhaps, that scarred him for life.

The mysterious purple Chameleon named Espio. A ninja and expert hacker, if required.

He was trying very hard not to swallow and covered it with his usual granite face, instead.

He has just relived the horrors of his past in his leader's actions… Actions that he had no choice but to accomplish.

The pyrokinetic feline, Blaze. A former young queen of a former kingdom.

She wasn't feeling comfortable, she almost had a mental breakdown yesterday and… Let's just leave it at that.

The pink hedgehog, Amy Rose. The official cook and housekeeper and… A troubled heart.

She was simply panicking and shaking… Than again, she's been doing it since the day before…

When she met him again… Her harasser, her persecutor… Her admirer?

And than… This young fox. This young Kitsune fox gifted by the ability of flying thanks to his extra appendage.

His name was Miles "Tails" Prower and right now… He didn't care of anything.

He's just killed his robotizied parents in self-defense… An experience that had left him emotionally emptied.

And that was worrying her…

Cosmo, was her name. She wasn't similar to anything in this world…

She was the first of her kind. A whole new species named Seedrian. Right now, only Sir Charles, herself and Eggman knew about her true origins.

For the moment being, the attention of the whole group was focused on their computer screen… On their interlocutor.

Former princess Sally Acorn, daughter of Maximillian, the once king of the city-state of Mobotropolis… Looked very tired.

No… That's an understatement. She looked totally and utterly drained by distress and lack of sleep…

There had been some developments in the last couple of days about the political status of the Mobian country and so, the squirrel has been reasonably drowned in them…

And now… They finally understood why.

"I-I can't believe this…" Said a rather contained Amy.

"But it is true, Amy, it's sadly true…"

A leak… A giant, immense leak has been discovered inside the very fabric of G.U.N. Entire divisions, officials and even generals were secretely working for the Eggman Empire… And the head of the whole operation lied in the heart of Mobius's council itself.

"…Snively Robotnik is a traitor!" Sally's reply.

The human's connections with the military force along with the Acorns' natural diffidence toward the Overlanders, were sufficient reasons to convince some of the most loyal subjects of the former royal family to secretely monitor Snively's phone conversations…

What they discovered was simply the biggest scheme ever conceived in recent history…

Over the past ten years, since the birth of the Eggman Empire and the coup of Mobotropolis, the evil doctor ensured himself the cooperation of most of the current generals in G.U.N. with the promise of money and power.

They have been his spies since than, giving the doctor all the details of the resistance's plans… Luckily enough, the presence in the empire of a leak of it's own (Sir Charles), had prevented Eggman's takeover for all this time.

He was spying them while they were spying him, spoiling each other's strategies… It has been all a distorted version of a chess game.

That, of course, until now.

After the discovery of the leak, Snively and all the generals involved in the operation have been arrested.

Now, for the first time since the beginning of the war, the resistance had the upper hand! They would finally get to know more about Eggman's plans, gain secret informations on his plots and they would finally put an end to this insanity!

Yes… They finally had the advantage…

… And they had absolutely no clue of what to do.

There was still something wrong in all this plot.

"Did some of them already talk?" Asked Blaze, burning with curiosity (I'm running out of puns).

"The only thing we've been able to know was that… Apparently… Snively is…" Sally put a lot of efforts not to vomit and continued. "… Doctor Eggman's nephew."

A sudden burst of bewilderment encircled the entire room.

"A NEPHEW!!? A MOTHERFUCKIN' NEPHEW!!!? NOT JUST A PAWN, AN UNDERLING… A BLOODY RELATIVE, NONE THE LESS!!!" And this was the burst of Knuckles.

"I know… I feel so IDIOT! We should have thought of monitoring his conversations a LOT of time ago!"

"You shouldn't put him in the council in the first place!" Retorted Blaze.

"We didn't have a choice, he was highly recommended…. By G.U.N. Ooooooooh…." The squirrel bowed her head in shame.

"What's done it's done… What about that military base full of Eggman marked Big Foots I discovered?" Again, Knuckles.

Sally's face went immediately pale, like if she saw a ghost. After restraining herself into a more dignified tone, she answered.

"Since the base was in the humans' territory, we contacted the president and asked him to investigate, he agreed and immediately send some troops to check the site and…"

"And… What?" Patience was not an echidna's virtue. No surprise there.

Sally swallowed before concluding.

"They found… A giant crater instead."

That was unexpected.

"A crater? What the hell?"

"Apparently, someone has disposed of all the proves."

There was silence for a moment… A minute to sink this last information into their brains.

"And the Big Foots?" Asked Amy.

"Gone… Disappeared… Like if they never existed." The distressed rodent lady said.

"Wow… Fuck." Knuckles.

"Indeed. And we still don't know what the fat bastard is planning to do with Cosmo!"

"Well…" Started a shy voice.

Everybody in the room turned their respective heads in the direction of said timid whisper… Now they were all looking at Cosmo, who was feeling immense embarrassment and uneasiness.

Once again, she was the center of the attention… She truly disliked it but she had to talk anyway.

She began.

"Ehrr I ehrrr…"

"What?"

"I-I.. Happened t-to know." She was playing nervously with her fingers now, looking to the ground.

"You…Happened to know… What!?" Knuckles adopted a harsher tone.

"…Well, yesterday, when you were out… Uncle Chuck called."

She was greeted by immensely, huge eyes of surprise, so wide that she thought they were about to fall from their orbits… Even Tails was a little surprised by this. Cosmo continued.

"… He called and said me that… The doctor wanted to capture me alive because he was curious and… Wanted to study me or something… Nothing more. He even changed his mind and… He doesn't care of me anymore… That's it." With that said, the Seedrian took a very long breath…

She was expecting Knuckles to get mad at her for not telling them sooner… To scream at her or even worse… To hit her.

Instead… To her astonishment, the echidna's reply was a lot calmer that she awaited.

"It's ok… It's been a rough day yesterday… For all of us…" The leader's gaze went sadder and posed itself in the direction of Espio's… But only for a moment. "… Therefore it's normal to forget little things like phone calls. Don't feel bad for that."

All of the Freedom Fighters' faces were expressing the most genuine stupor on the red warrior's words… Except Espio's, of course.

Espio knew what his leader… No, what his friend, his closest friend, was feeling right now… Deep down that masquerade that his tough attitude was… Something very familiar to the chameleon.

Something that will slowly consume his very soul for the rest of his life.

And by looking into the young girl's eyes… That feeling only got worse.

Unbearable guilt. Tremendous uncertainly. Fear… And the adrenaline of the killing.

The robotizied kids Knuckles crushed were not older than 10…

Not older than Tails… And Cosmo.

It was in that precise moment that the red echidna made himself a promise… The promise to protect this two children or any others with his own life if necessary… And the promise that, no matter the odds, no matter the difficulties… HE WOULD KILL EGGMAN OR FUCKING DIE TRYING!

A new fire became visible in the eyes of the F.F. leader… Espio noticed and smiled a proud smile.

Cosmo noticed the eyes too… And suddenly, she understood the reason of Knuckles's change… And she didn't like what she saw.

All the small corpses…

All the blood…

Her head started spinning, than she collapsed right in Tails's arms, who caught her just in time.

Momentarily aware, Cosmo turned her head to see her vulpine friend's face… And with horror, she realized that his eyes… The once loving and caring big blue eyes he used to have… Where now a cold, distant, dead mirror of his hollow soul.

This Tails was not hers. This Tails was becoming… A new Shadow.

This is what the evil doctor has been able to do to him and this… was his greatest power… The power of not only killing the body but the soul as well…

The fox turned to the others and, in an uncharacteristically glacial tone, said:

"I'll escort Cosmo to my room, she seems to need some rest." And than, he just left the room, plant girl on his shoulders.

* * *

They stood in Tails's room for quite some time.

He was set on his bed. Silent and distant.

She was set on his left. Worried and caring.

No one of them muttered a single word during the last hour… The whole room was engulfed in awkwardness and over all, sadness.

The sadness of the young Seedrian… The awkwardness of the silence… And the coldness of her beloved guardian…

Or what was left of him.

The kit's gaze has never met Cosmo's in the last hour… He would always look away, instead.

She couldn't take it… She wouldn't allow him to ignore her, to isolate himself from her and the others. She's made a promise… She swore to heal Tails's soul from it's sufferance, to restore his missing emotions… To make him smile again, to show to her that he was still the caring, protective vulpine that she learned to love.

To love… Yes, she was dead sure of that. This strange, heart warming feeling, that she had every time she would stay in his company… It was Love. Not just a simple crush… The pure emotion at it's best.

It is unfortunate, however, that Love does not exist… Without Sorrow.

The very same Sorrow that she was desperately trying to wipe out from her would be boyfriend's soul.

Finally, she realized something else… The meaning of that nightmare she had more than 4 days ago, when she met him for the first time.

That awful dream about the shadows… And Tails saving her from them… And… That other shadow, right behind him that was about to devour him.

The message was sadly clear now. That shadow was the Kitsune's grief and pain… And now, it was slowly consuming him.

She could feel it… And she would save him, no matter what!

She was staring at him, tearful eyes, but he was still ignoring her…

After he was forced to kill his own parents, Tails entered in some kind of catatonic state.

He'd never cried… Never sheared a single tear… Nothing.

She knew that, in order to reach his heart… She would have to surpass his defenses.

This would be her most difficult task yet but she was determined and… In love.

Slowly, she put her hand on Tails's… He hastily retreated it.

She sighed than started to talk.

"Tails… Please, look at me."

He didn't answer nor he moved.

"Tails… Talk to me… Say something. Anything!"

Still nothing. At this point, she was angry.

"FINE! IF YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT ME ANYMORE THAN YOU SURELY WOULD'NT CARE IF I DO THIS!"

And with that said, Cosmo took on a knife that she borrowed from Amy's kitchen and… She Pointed it at her throat.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

She was now standing in front of him, knife on her neck, with wide angry eyes.

This… Has attracted his attention. Now he was wide eyed, too, and his facial features were unreadable. She spoke again.

"So… What is going to be? My life or your grief, uhu? ANSWER ME!!!"

He was like a statue, unmoving and with a unique expression on his face… An expression of terror. He felt something inside him, something disturbing yet relieving… An emotion.

"So?" She asked again.

And again, he didn't say or do anything. He simply diverted his gaze from her.

She interpreted it in the wrong way… A sudden glare of defeat was now showing in her candid skinned face.

Her cheeks were now covered by rivers of tears. She was really desperate now… She wanted to help him at all costs… But even this extreme gesture seemed not to affect him.

A sudden fear was now crushing her heart… The fear that her feelings, her true feelings toward the boy were not shared by him.

In that moment… She lost her will to live.

"I-it is true, than… You d-don't care about me anymore. I'm that worthless… I-I shouldn't even exist in the first place! WELL, I WILL CORRECT THIS NATURE'S MISTAKE!!!"

She pinned her knife on the side of her throat and started to cu—

"NOOOOOOOO!!!!"

It all happened so fast… That she didn't even registered it at first. She was now on the soil, her arms immobilized, her eyes wide open… And her savior on top of her, eyes burning with rage.

"STUPID! WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!!!"

She was speechless.

"YOUR NOT A NATURE'S MISTAKE!!! YOU'RE A LIVING BEING, FOR CHAOS'S SAKE!!!"

And now she talked back, angered as well.

"WHAT'S IT TO YOU!? I look around and all I see is sorrow… I'm forced to see the others' sorrows, to live them on my skin… I-I can't take it anymore. I DON'T WANT TO! NOW, LET ME GO!!!"

He let her go… Only to slap her.

She was shocked. She couldn't believe it. He actually harmed her.

His eyes were now full of regret.

"I'm… I'm sorry. I don't know what happened to me. I just… Please, forgive me."

And, in response, she hugged him with all her might. And he hugged her back.

A tight, loving, childish hug.

And they both cried on each other's shoulder.

"C-Cosmo… It's not true that I don't care about you… I do care… A lot, actually."

She only hugged him tighter, almost hurting him.

"I do as well, Tails."

The vulpine's soul was there again, she could feel it, warming, caring, loving…

They both suffered because of this war… They both have been stripped of their childhood… Yet, when they were together, nothing of this mattered anymore…

The only thing that mattered was that they were together…

Forever and eternally.

"I-I really miss them, you know? My parents…" Whispered the fox cub.

"I miss mine too…" Her soft reply.

And perhaps, just perhaps, one day… They could be kids… Once again.

They remained in that position for a few minutes… Before falling asleep on Tails's bed, still embraced.

* * *

The rest of the day went down pretty well.

Occasionally, Blaze and Cosmo would gossip with Amy about their girly stuff, while Knuckles and Espio occupied themselves with friendly fights in the gym (no innocent beaten walls, this time)…

Deep in their heart, however, they all knew that this peace wouldn't have last for very long.

Tomorrow, at 12:00 a.m. (as stated by the very few informations Sir Charles has been able to find), Project: Doomsday would have been unleashed.

And they were all alone…

When Tails and Cosmo left for their room, earlier on, Sally Acorn's speech was anything but over… Like in a well written screenplay, she was leaving the best part for the finale.

After the capture and imprisonment of Snively Robotnik and his lackeys… The Eggman Empire made it's move.

A gargantuan battle army of SWATBots, newly made Egg-Pawns and Badniks attacked the lands right after the confines between the doctor's reign and Mobius… The combined forces of the Militia, G.U.N. and some spare armies have been struggling in order to contain the massive assault, therefore there was no one else left to deal with the potential threat other than Knuckles's group.

They were all alone against it… The story of their life.

Tails was in his room, talking with a very important person in his life.

From his wrist com., the tri-dimensional figure of his "sister" was showing it's features.

Sally Acorn hated herself for not being there with her little brother. She had a whole nation to guide and protect… But, in her heart, all she cared was the health of the vulpine.

Her eyes were engulfed with sadness and on the verge of tears… She wanted so bad to hug him, to shake him in her arms… She knew what the kit has been through in the last few days since their last talk… Even about his parents, for the boy himself told her while hardly trying to suppress his tears.

"I-I…"

"No, Sally. Don't say you're sorry. It's not like you or anybody else could do anything… They… Were… Already dead." The Kitsune lowered his gaze, sniffing.

Out of pure motherly instinct, Sally tried to caress him but, of course, being an hologram was quite a disadvantage.

In all this time, Tails never really opened himself to her… He always thought that showing his deepest emotions in front of a princess was a sign of feebleness. For that reason, she hated even more her former status… Since it was keeping her adopted brother's real feelings locked away from her to reach.

She decided to respect the kit's behavior and act in response.

"Tails?" Her stature was serious and authoritative once again.

"Yes?"

"Good luck." And with that said, she hang up.

Tails sighed, exited his room and encountered his leader along the way.

He smiled a smart smile.

"What are you smirking at?" Demanded Knuckles.

"Oh, nothing…"

The vulpine remembered very well what Cosmo told him earlier on, right after their nap.

* * *

**_"You know what, Tails?"_**

**_"What?"_**

**_"That Knuckles…He Is a really nice guy."_**

**_"…. HA HA HA HA HA HA!!! Ooooh, that's a good one and… Oh. Your serious there."_**

**_"You know… He would never admit it but… Deep down, under that shield of roughness… He sees you as a brother!"_**

**_"…….."_**

**_"He really cares about you and he would do anything to protect you… Just like a real sibling would do. You are very lucky, you know? You have a family after all…"_**

**_"You too have…"_**

**_"Do I?"_**

**_"Yep… My family is your family too!"_**

**_"Oh, Tails. You're so sweet!"_**

**_"Gee… I try."_**

* * *

So… Knuckles saw him as his little brother… For a few minutes, Tails entertained the idea of blackmailing him for that… But decided otherwise. He admired the red veteran and, deep down, he felt honored to be considered his sibling.

He than looked around and saw Cosmo playing cards and girly talking with her new two acquired sisters, Blaze and Amy, while trying to convince Espio to play with them.

For the first time since eons, the Kitsune was happy… This was his family, his true family (besides his original one) and the only one he needed at the moment… And he would have fought for them, with all of his might, he would protect them from Eggman or any other menaces.

"Knuckles?"

"Mmmh?"

"Do you think that we will actually make it?"

"Over this Chaosdamned cluster fuck? FUCK YEAH WE WILL!!! WE ARE FREEDOM FIGHTERS!!! TOMORROW, WE WILL DINE IN HELL!!!" Good old king Knuckles.

And everybody laughed… Except Espio and, to his delight, Cosmo… He always thought he was the only one in the planet who didn't get that joke.

He was not alone. None of them were…

And for the rest of the day, laughter and joy became the key words.

* * *

**Sunday… Doomsday.**

The time was coming.

The F.F. awoke pretty early that morning, ate a good breakfast, made their preys and, without more useless words other than "ok, let's go", they were already heading for the now evacuated city of Station Square… Ground Zero.

Tails, however, decided to join them a little later on… He still had a couple of things to do.

And one of these regarded a certain plant of his knowledge.

"Why can't I come with you?"

"Forget it, Cosmo! It's too dangerous. You'll stay here and that's final!"

The girl adopted a childishly bored expression and crossed her arms.

The kit sighed.

"I know you're worry…"

She didn't answer, she was showing him her back.

"… I'll be back, Cosmo. I swear it. I won't leave you alone… Not now… Not never."

She looked back at him with her big azure eyes… Like his own.

"Please, be careful."

"I will… Here."

He put a watch on Cosmo's right wrist.

"What's this?" She asked.

"It's a wrist communicator. This way we can contact each other in case of troubles. It's really easy to use!"

She nodded. Than kissed him on the cheek.

He blushed like hell, saluted her and than departed.

He had one thing left to do now…

After walking for a while in the forest, he spun his two namesakes and rose in the sky as higher as he could go.

After flying for some time he finally spotted the ancient ruins zone… His and Cosmo's secret place… Where he left his precious airplane a few days ago.

The magnificent X-Tornado was still there.

After being attacked by those Big Foots and all the things that followed in this very long week, he'd simply forgotten to come back and retrieve it.

If Eggman's scheme was about to be even half dangerous that he expected it to be, he would need all the fire power possible in order to win and his battle plane had exactly what he was looking for.

He was about to fly in the cockpit… When he noticed something… Nearby the ruins.

There it was… The plant… The very same ultra-rare plant that he and Cosmo discovered, the plant that produced those delicious fruits that had a key role in the Kitsune's evolution… And it wasn't alone.

On it's left side… Something else has grown. A smaller, younger version of it.

And Tails immediately recognized it as the seed that Cosmo planted just 5 days ago. The former unborn child was now a beautiful and delicate plant… The other one's daughter.

The vulpine smiled at the scene and, with newly found strength, climbed into the plane's cockpit.

* * *

Station Square, a once colorful and populated metropolis, was now reduced to a pale ghost of it's former self…

The city has been evacuated. All of his inhabitants, both humans and Mobians, had left their respective homes from no more than a couple of days now. After the forced "resignation" of Snively from the Mobian council, the news of Project: Doomsday inevitably spread through all the country. People begun to panic and entire cities started to riot, particularly, Station Square, being the potential ground zero of Eggman's attack. During the last day, an intense evacuation program was actuated by the residual forces of G.U.N…. Right before the doctor's army attacked Mobius.

Millions of people were now living inside underground bunkers… And in fear. This has been the greatest accomplishment of the Eggman Empire so far… Beyond destroying towns and killing people… Beyond capturing Mobians and turning them into robots… Beyond all of this, the one thing that truly gave power to the sadistic genocidal… Was the others' fear.

Everybody, no matter how tough and courageous, feared the doctor's do… Including, or especially, who was trying to fighting him in the first line…

The Freedom Fighters stood there, in the eastern gateway… The only entrance to this dead urban center that happened to be a big city.

They were focused, they were silent… They were scared and frightened beyond imagination.

But they were there, none the less. And they would fight til the end. This was what they were bound to do… Not because anybody obliged them but because they wanted to. The future of an entire nation, or just a city, was on their tired yet determined shoulders…

The time was almost there. Only 5 minutes left to noon. 5 minutes left before Doomsday.

11:55.

Knuckles, the leader, had his arms crossed and his granite like glare was observing the horizon… Ready to attack anything… Ready, this time.

Or so he thought.

11:56.

Blaze, the flaming queen, was on his left side, fireballs already in hands… Waiting... Seriousness in her feline eyes.

11:57.

Espio, on Knuckles's right side… Shurikens in hands, eyes closed, concentration drawn on his face.

11:58.

Amy Rose was a little behind with her trusty Piko Piko Hammer holding in her hands… She was visibly unnerved but she would not back down… Her mind wandered for a second on that black hedgehog… She dismissed it almost immediately.

11:59.

Tails was in his airplane, already changed into a giant battle mech with mechanical arms and feet, it was similar to a Big Foot but far more powerful in a close range combat… He too was dead serious… He was genuinely scared, yes, but most of all, he was angry… Angry for everything that the fat bastard has done to him in just a week… Angry for what he'd done to his parents… And eager to avenge them.

12:00.

The time is now!

….

……..

……………..

……………………..

Nothing.

Not an army of heavy equipped Big Foots.

Not a massive gas attack.

Not even spit fire dragons…

Nothing.

What's going on? The doctor was usually punctual with his threats.

Before any of the F.F. could sincerely asked themselves this question… Or even relax, for that matter… Their respective wrist com. Started beeping like mad. It was a special emergency calls' device that Tails added in case someone needed to contact all of them at the same time during the missions… And this was the first time ever that it's been activated.

They turned on their watches and the utter terrified holographic image of Sally Acorn appeared from each and everyone of their communicators.

"Sally? What the fuck is happening!?"

And without hesitation or any dramatic effect whatsoever, came the answer.

"WE'VE BEEN ALL FOOLED!!!" The multiple Sallys yelled at unison.

Pure horror was now printed in their faces… All of them… As the biggest realization finally stroke in their collective minds… Even before Sally finished her sentence.

"WE'VE BEEN ALL FOOLED BY EGGMAN!!!!!"


	10. Chapter 10

**10.**

11:55.

She was tense… Or better, she was agitated. In the last minutes, her mind has become a turmoil of doubts and unanswered questions…

11:56.

What if they fail? What if they die? What if she will never see him again? Could have she been of some use? Did her existence have a purpose?

11:57.

In the cold solitude of the hidden base, Cosmo was waiting… Waiting the destruction to end all or the hopeful salvation… Waiting his… Their return.

11:58.

Most of all… Waiting for a call from him.

She stared at the com. on her wrist… Expecting Tails to contact her.

Oh yes, the waiting was killing her.

11:59.

The closed rosebuds on the sides of her head started to tremble, her pupils became smaller and the hands were shaking… The time was almost there.

12:00.

And the time is now!

……

………..

………………..

…………………….

Nothing.

She was expecting at least a small explosion… But nothing came.

After a few minutes pondering about the situation… Her wrist com. turned on all by itself, reveling the image of a rather terrified Sally Acorn.

Definetelly not a good sign.

Cosmo was taken aback by the sudden apparition… After a few seconds, she realized that while she could see Sally… Sally couldn't see her in return.

The emergency device was a one-way call system that could permit at the caller to contact all the possessors of a functional com. (including Cosmo) but not to see or hear the ones contacted.

That defect was quite inconvenient…

As a result of this, the squirrel had no idea of who she was about to tell her newly acquired informations…

"WE'VE BEEN ALL FOOLED!!!"

… Or the tremendous effects they would bring with them.

* * *

"Listen to me, this is an emergency!"

The Freedom Fighters were listening.

"About 30 minutes ago, Doctor Eggman has ordered the retreat of his troops for no apparent reason… We had no idea why he did it, until Sir Charles contacted us, 5 minutes later…. He found out what Project: Doomsday has been all about!!"

Tension was now readable in their eyes.

"Eggman has played with us the all time! He knew there was an hacker trying to accede the data from his mainframe… And just now, he decided to let us collect those informations… Letting us to know the truth."

Knuckles's fists clenched. Blaze's eyes widen.

"All that we have faced, discovered, been put in through in this past week… The threat, the sudden attacks, G.U.N. wanting to kill Cosmo, the Big Foots army, even the leak and Snively's role in it… THEY WERE ALL A DISTRACTION!!!"

Tails and Espio swallowed.

"He made us to believe that that girl, Cosmo, was an important piece of his plan with that threat and the intervention of G.U.N. by order of Snively… He WANTED us to find that dislocated base with his secret army in it and than, he destroyed it just for adding more confusion… Ultimately, he WANTED us to find G.U.N.'s leak and Snively's involvement in it! It was all part of his plan!"

Amy almost fainted.

"A plan to lure our attention away from his real scheme… Something that he's been working on, since the unofficial truce… Something he planned to do even before the coup of Mobotropolis…"

They're collective breath was betraying them.

"The reason of why he stood low for so long… The reason of why he turned my country in his capitol in the first place…THE REAL PROJECT: DOOMSDAY!!!"

* * *

Cosmo was listening.

She listened all too well.

Everything that has been said so far by the princess… Every. Single. Word.

"He… He outsmarted us… We've been all puppets in his hands… And now, it's too late." With that said, the communication was interrupted, leaving the young Seedrian alone with her thoughts.

All has been revealed. The true intentions of the doctor and her role in it.

For all this time, she's been nothing more than a pawn in Eggman's fat hands… In the beginning, he wanted to study her and tried to capture her… But when she ended up with the Freedom Fighters and, more importantly, with Tails, his diabolical yet genius mind developed the perfect plan to get people distracted and utterly confused (especially potential spies) so he could add the final needed requirements to his latest weapon without suffering an eventual spoil of his work.

With the help of his secret allies, he put up a fake G.U.N. base with faker G.U.N. robots for his enemies to discover and fear… He even ordered his nephew, Snively, to drop his cover and betray their agents… They wouldn't talk even if they could… No one knew of his project beside him.

His plan worked perfectly and with all the fake tracks he disseminated throughout the week, nobody has been able to guess what his REAL scheme was all about…

And now, as Sally Acorn stated, they were far too late to stop it.

Doomsday has officially begun..

Cosmo was horrified.

It all happened begun because of her… Tails's parents robotization and death, Eggman's plan… Everything!

All the sorrows… All the pain she saw in the others… All the torment she experienced first hand…

It was all because of her… If she wasn't even born, they could have the chance to find the doctor's true intentions and stop him…

Instead… She's been on the way.

And this was the final consequence.

It was all over…

"NO!"

What?

"NOT THIS WAY!!!"

What are you saying, Cosmo?

"I'm tired to feel guilty… I'm sick and tired to act like a victim! I'm sick and tired of been useless!"

I… Don't get it.

"I've just realized something very important."

Please, tell me.

"That Nature always finds it's way… There's no denial in this. How could you explain, otherwise, miracles like Life and Evolution? Rise and fall of entire species? Natural Selection?"

Are you implying that Nature is a living sentient being with a purpose and a plan? But… Isn't the world, no, the entire Universe, made of Chaos? Of things that happened without a logical reason? Of uncontrollable invisible random forces running around like mad?

"Maybe… Or maybe not. We're not bound to know it… And, perhaps, it's because of this… Of the fact that we don't really know anything… That life is Chaos.

…. I've never thought of that before.

"Maybe, Nature has a purpose, after all, or maybe my birth was just a miraculous case… But the fact is: I'm here. I'm alive. And I have the power to stop Eggman."

……..

"If this world has no sense nor purpose to exist… THAN I'LL PUT A SENSE OF MY OWN IN IT!"

… Very well, I understand it, Cosmo.

"I'm glad of it."

You know… Ever since I've started writing this, dare I say, novel… I've always thought that I had the absolute control of it… That, somehow, I could add some spectacular twists in each and every chapters, manipulate the characters' fate for my own amusement and, over all, to make a good original story…

I've also dared to dream that, somehow… I could have saved you, Cosmo.

But the sad truth is that I, as a fanfiction author, do not own any of the characters or the basic ideas that are mentioned in my story…

Therefore… I have no control.

Never had. Never will.

"…….. I see."

Cosmo… You know why I chose Tails to be the protagonist of this story, in the first place?

He's my favorite character… I see a lot of myself in him: I wanted to be like him, not just because he could fly or because he's super smart…

He is the most courageous, caring and trusty person anyone could ever met… His entire life has been depicted has a deep cold cauldron of sorrows (you should know that) and, yet… After all of this, he still managed to smile.

I've put the little kid through hell in this fiction, I admit that… But, still, I wanted to award him with an happy ending… An optimistic finale in Sonic's style!

… Why are you giggling?

"Well… A cheap happy ending would be too much convenient, don't you think?"

Sigh… I guess you're right. I've worked so hard to make this story at least half decent… And I can't stop now!

Thank you, Cosmo. Despite what Cream's fans use to say… You are a great person.

"Why… Thanks!"

You may go now and… Cosmo?

"Yes?"

You know that Tails loves you, right?

"Of course I know… And I love him back."

That's great… Farewell, young Seedrian.

May our paths cross again in a near future… Maybe, in another story.

"It'll be fun… Sayonara, fanfiction author."

Sniff… Ok! On with the story!

* * *

Tails's plane was on the roof of the tallest building in the abandoned city of Station Square.

After the shocking news they received, the Freedom Fighters' first instinct was to flee the longest away possible from the place… And basically, that's what they all did.

All of them, except the vulpine. If what Sally told them was true, than either escaping or finding a shelter would have been completely useless.

Instead, Tails decided to fly with his X-Tornado in an high enough position to… See it.

And, desperately, to try in stop it.

All of them, including him, have been outsmarted by the doctor… And that was burning him. He couldn't except defeat from that crazy Overlander… He couldn't allow him to win… Not this way.

Right now, the combat plane's sophisticated radar was receiving a signal… A very, disturbing signal.

A deadly confirmation of their biggest fear yet.

Years.... Perhaps, even centuries, before the great earthquake that destroyed their civilization, allowing the rise of the Mobian races… The humans used to be at the top of their technological warfare…

New artillery and military's intelligences were spreading all over the planet, forever changing the whole concept of war…

And it all started, with one, ominous weapon.

Tails has heard the stories… But they were all considered legends, nothing more than myths… Than again, even the Chaos Emeralds were.

It wasn't a legend anymore… It was real. It was DAMN real.

Somehow, Dr Eggman knew were to find the needed material to make it… He knew he could find it right under the city-state of Mobotropolis… It's current HQ.

And there it was…

Intact.

Uncorrupted.

Undamaged.

It managed to resist all this millenniums for the doctor to find it… And to use it.

An entire underground mine full of… Uranium.

It was near, now… Tails's radar could sense it.

It was coming and it was just a few miles away from the designed impact point… With the smirking Eggman insignia on it.

A nuclear missile…

A nuke!

Not just any "regular" nuke… An enhanced model, with a bigger range of damage… Specifically, all Mobius.

The explosion that will be generated will be powerful enough to kill anything in the range of 2000 miles… The rest will find a more horrible and excruciating death due to the inevitable radiations that will follow. After seen the demise of Mobius, the United Federations will have no other choice but to, voluntarily, surrender to the Eggman Empire and it's leader will be finally able to turn the world into his robotic utopia!

Deep down, Tails knew that there wasn't any hope… Centuries, millenniums of evolution, of life… Are going to be destroyed in one instant by Man's Greatest Sin.

The vulpine's mind wandered a little… He was thinking at Cosmo. At how she meant a lot to him… At the fact that he didn't even declared himself to her… That he wanted to be with her in the very last minutes…

As if on cue… A hand, a soft, familiar, little hand was now on Tails's shoulder. He felt immediately strange and found himself unable to move.

From behind him… She was whispering something in his ear.

"Hi Tails… It's me, Cosmo."

"Cosmo? What are you doing here? And… Why I can't move?"

"It's another of my powers… It seems that I can release a toxin that can temporarily paralyze people."

"But… Why on me?"

She took a good breath, even if he couldn't see her, he could, however, feel her discomfort while answering his question.

"Because, this way… You won't try to stop me." With that said, she rose up above the plane, the building… And Tails.

Pure horror and shock were printed in the kit's eyes, as he watched the love of his life, the one creature he swore to protect and to stay forever with… Just standing, floating in the sky, several miles from him… Waiting for the nuke.

He couldn't… He wouldn't… He… He…

I.. I've lost the words. I can't go on.

I'll let Cosmo to take on from here.

* * *

**_I can feel it, now. The power… The true power that Nature gave me. It's inebriant and… Beautiful._**

**_I can feel my body is already changing… Just like any flower, it is now my turn, to finally blossom._**

**_My features, my height, the length of my air, my physic… I've grown up in just a blink of an eye. The two rosebuds in the sides of my head… Just bloomed. Now they are wonderful pink roses…_**

**_I wish Amy could see me now… She would love them, she's so into the pink color… Yeah, Amy._**

**_And my bigger sister, Blaze… And Knuckles… And even the silent Espio. They will all miss me too much… They are going to be sad… They would not understand._**

**_Tails… Is going to suffer more than anyone else… I wish I could say goodbye…_**

**_"COSMO!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!? GET DOWN FROM THERE!!"_**

**_Tails? How… Oh. You're using your wrist com…_**

**_"Cosmo, seriously, this is not a game!"_**

**_I know, Tails… That's why I'm here. I'm here to stop this insanity, once and for all._**

**_"W-WHAT!? You don't understand, there's a…"_**

**_There's a nuclear missile heading this way… The true Project: Doomsday._**

**_"B-But how'd you… Ooooh. Oh no. The emergency calls' device!"_**

**_Precisely and I thank you for that… Without it, I wouldn't been able to comprehend._**

**_"Comprehend… What?"_**

**_My purpose in life… The reason I was chosen by Nature… To be here. Now. Saving everybody's life. Saving yours._**

**_"This is madness!"_**

**_Eh eh eh eh… Knuckles would have had a good punch line for that._**

**_"DON'T MOCK ME! You don't have to do it! Nobody's fate is written in stone!"_**

**_Perhaps… In fact, this is my personal choice… And I'm perfectly fine with that. I'm happy to be here, I'm happy that Nature gifted me with this power… Most of all… I'm happy that I ever knew you, Tails._**

**_"Cosmo…"_**

**_You know? Even if fate is an illusion… I really can't help but think that… We were, somehow, designated to find each other._**

**_"What are you saying?"_**

**_I know my true origins, Tails… Uncle Chuck has revealed them to me._**

**_"UNCLE CHUCK!?"_**

**_You see… I am a Seedrian… A whole new sentient vegetal life form that, just like regular plants, grows up from seeds. When my foster parents found me… I was just, well, born._**

**_I'm the last step in the evolution process of a very, rare plant… A plant that your kind happened to know very well…_**

**_"…. Y-you don't mean…"_**

**_Yes. That plant, Tails. The one who's delicious fruits has pushed your kind into evolution… Our special plant._**

**_"I.. I.."_**

**_I descended from very that plant… And you… You descended from that curious, smart fox who wanted to taste it's fruit so badly…_**

**_We were bound to be together, Tails… In a way, I think that we were bound, by Nature itself, to be here… In this very moment._**

**_Chosen by Nature. To fight for Nature._**

**_"……"_**

**_And… As a result of this. To be able to use Chaos energy._**

**_"Chaos… Energy?"_**

**_Do you remember what Knuckles said? Because I do, even if I was half asleep at the time… He said that the first creatures that resulted from Natural Selection were gifted by the ability of controlling Chaos… So, here I am._**

**_"You'll need a Chaos Emerald, first."_**

**_I already have it… Right here… In my chest._**

**_"That red gem… WAS A CHAOS EMERALD ALL ALONG!?"_**

**_Yep… Nature's doing, I guess._**

**_Well… It seems that our time is running out. I must brace myself._**

**_"N-no… Please, don't go… Don't leave me alone… Y-you're the only one for me."_**

**_You will not be alone… You have your family._**

**_"YOU ARE A PART OF IT!"_**

**_Tails… I have to do it… And you have to stay here and continue the fight! Promise me, you will do it… Promise me, you won't give up._**

**_Promise me to smile again._**

**_Do it… For me. Please._**

**_"I… I… I p-p-promise…"_**

**_Thank you Tails. Thank you for everything. For saving my life uncounted times. For making me smile. For the memories. For everything._**

**_"Cosmo…."_**

**_……._**

**_"I… I… I…_**

**_……_**

**_"I LOVE YOU!!!!"_**

* * *

Now… Before continuing.

I have a question for you, reader and / or potential author.

How could you possibly take the single most tragic and suffering moment in anybody's life (the loss of the one person you love the most) and trying to describe it in simple words for anyone to read it?

Unfortunately, I have not such answer… I'm not an established author nor a recognized philosopher but even if I were, I highly doubt that I would be able to know it, anyway.

I can tell one thing, though: emotions are very complicated… Even the simpler ones have always more than one significance behind that great hoax that we call Appearance.

Everybody feels in so many ways… That's a thing that makes us all different yet, similar at the same time.

In the end… I can't even dare to imagine how such sorrow could possibly be described in just a few short lines…

But, luckily, there is still a thing I can do… An homage.

An homage to true Love… Which, I shall remind you, does not exist without Sorrow.

And for this homage, I took the liberty to use a very special song… This song:

* * *

**"Hikaru Michi -The Shining Road" By Aya Hiroshige.**

**_Our world is under a spell_**

**_Even the excitment of our love is sealed in our tears_**

**_Boy, let's go together to find that charm,_**

**_To the land of where forbidden dreams may come true._**

And than… It was light. The vessel of death has arrived. She opened herself to it… She embraced it…

He couldn't let her do it alone… He loved her… He cried for her… He, somehow, came out from his paralysis… He launched himself into the light… He cried his love for her… He cried her name… He would die with her…

A tearful eye, a broken heart… That was Love.

**_Alone, tomorrow, let's secretely meet_**

**_Up on the hill where small birds are buried_**

**_Some day, when I hold your hand in the cold morning mist_**

**_And the seal of the Shining Road will be broken_**

**_Forever_**

All was white, inside the light. No one else was there, but the two of them.

They stared at each other… There favorite activity… They took each other's hands… And still would stare.

Alone together in the Shining Road.

**_I didn't wish to get heartbroken so I hid my feelings_**

**_I was happy, for you gave that smile._**

**_Boy, give me the courage_**

**_To make everything that happened zero_**

He wished he could tell her before… That his love for her was pure and sincere.

She'd been expecting him to confess it… Thankfully, it was not too late. Now she knew.

Now, they both knew… That they were bound to be together… Beyond Nature… Beyond Chaos itself… This emotion was the only thing that counted.

Yet… He still wished he could save her.

**_Let's kiss quietly in secret_**

**_Like an old picture book we're unable to read_**

**_When the wind blows in the morning dew_**

**_The Shining Road will strech on forever_**

**_Always_**

"Cosmo" He said. "Tails" She said. "I love you." They both said.

They kissed. Quietly. Softly.

They were themselves. Two kids in love.

Alone together in the Shining Road.

A sudden force was now separating them… He called her name. She called his. She was going on her road… Away… Far away… From him… But she was happy… Because she knew… That their love would last…

"I love you. Forever."

Forever and eternally.

**_Callin' you_**

**_Callin' out your name in a sad night_**

**_That will be the key to break the enchantment of the world._**

Indeed.

* * *

And so… It was over. Cosmo used Chaos Control to send herself and the missile in another dimension… Sacrificing her own body in the process.

Tails would have followed her fate… If it wasn't for Knuckles, who came back just in time to save the kit… But not her.

Now they were both standing on the top of a building.

"WHY DID YOU SAVE ME!!!?" Cried a desperate yet enraged vulpine.

The echidna didn't respond.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU SAVE HER, INSTEAD!!?"

Knuckles raised a fist. Tails feared that he wanted to hit him… Instead, he picked the boy's hand and put something in it.

"I'm sorry…" The echidna simply muttered.

It was a seed.

Her seed.

What was left of her.

Her legacy.

That was just too much to take. He tightened the seed in his hand and started crying on Knuckles's chest.

"Why did she have to die? I.. I promised that I would protect her… With my life if necessary… Yet, I failed. I FAILED! AND NOW SHE'S DEAD!!!"

Tails was desperate, enraged and broken.

Knuckles was firm. Unable to do anything… Unable to consol the fox… Even to look at him.

They stood there for a while.

A guilty warrior.

A broken child.

Today… They both have failed.

And all of them were just been saved… By Cosmo…

Mother Nature.

* * *

Later on… Her precious seed would have been planted in the soft soil of the ancient ruins zone… Along with it's companions.

In their secret place… The place they shared… Tails and Cosmo's place.

And now… The fox remembered… He remembered how that very rare plant she descended from, used to be called… The plant that has been there when the first anthropomorphic fox appeared…

The plant that has accompanied his kind ever since…

"The Kitsune's Mate."

Tails smiled. She was right, all along.

They were bound to find each other… To love each other… To be with each other…

And maybe… One day… The would again.

* * *

**Monday morning.**

**1 day after Project: Doomsday.**

Tails was set nearby the cliff, observing the self-made graves… All three of them.

His mother's.

His father's.

And Cosmo's.

The three most important persons in his life, reunited in one place… At least, their memories.

Tails's heart was… Troubled, to say the very least.

There was something, inside of him, that kept telling him to let go and move on… But there was another part of him (you guessed it… The irrational part) that was telling, or better, screaming, otherwise…

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice that he's been observed… Until he heard the foot steps.

He turned his head…

And there she was…

Blue jacket, red hair and motherly eyes…

Sally Acorn was there, in person, right in front of him.

She knew… Of course, she knew…

Everybody knew that by now… Even Eggman.

Besides Tails, the one who took the news of Cosmo's death the worse was Blaze… The Seedrian was like a sister to her, she saved her from herself… And the fact that the cat wasn't with her when THAT happened… Was something that would persecute her for the rest of her life…

Tails felt extremely sorry for her… And that helped him, in a way, too feel more empathic toward the others… He realized that he wasn't the only one to ever suffer in the world.

For this reason, he decided to keep his emotions locked inside of him… He was still a soldier, after all, he would be brave, courageous and he would have never cried again, EVER!

"S-Sally… You're here? You're really here? It's not an hologram?"

"Yes, Tails… I'm here… With you."

He was a child.

And he cried.

He and her sister embraced each other long and tenderly… He was finally opening himself to her.

"I miss her, Sally. I really do. I miss my mom and my dad, too… Why did they have to go. WHY!? I'm all alone now!"

"No, you're not. You have the Freedom Fighters, Tails… And you have me. I'll never leave you again. In fact… I've just dropped my political career so I could stay with you."

"You did?"

"Yep. I told you, before… You're my little brother… You're my son." That last part came out by accident… But was meant, none the less

That information took the kit by surprise but, instead of been taken aback, he sank himself even deeper into her "mother's" embrace.

Cosmo was right… In the end, he was not alone.

"I love you… Mom" Still crying… A bit happier, though.

She smiled and cried as well.

Than she added:

"How about… A funny kiss?"

"Puh-lease… I'm too old for that."

In the meantime...

Somewhere… A red like gem started glowing…

And something very rare and precious, begun to grow.

And, sadly, a rather good story was about to end.

…Or was it?

* * *

Electric lighting. Darkness. Death.

Three common things one can easily find… In the Eggman Empire's capitol city.

The ex reign of Mobotropolis, now conveniently renamed… Robotropolis.

In the vast underground of this horrifying excuse of a city… A single silhouette could be seen.

A robotizied hedgehog by the name of Sir Charles… Or uncle Chuck, if you will.

For the last 24 hours he and all the other robots, have been witnessing the outburst of a certain super infuriated, utter enraged, evil-scientist-dictator-wanna-be…

Eggman was definetelly NOT in a good mood… And he had a good reason too! His most brilliant and diabolical scheme, the one elaborated plan that would have ensured him the total annihilations of his enemies and world's domination… THAT plan… Has been vanquished… By a plant.

Uncle chuck was still, well, chuckling in his mind at the view of the fat clown bouncing on his chair like a mad kangaroo yelling cheap villain's lines like: "Grrrr… I'll get them for this!" Or "They hadn't seen the last of me!" Or even better "I. HATE. THAT. FOX!!!".

A comic book villain… That's what the mighty Eggman really was.

That knowledge put a smile on the inexistent lips of the old Robohog… Even, though, he still couldn't get the fact that that little sweet girl was just gone… Saving all of them.

However, he had a job to do… Luckily for him, Eggman did not discover that he was the hacker who constantly tried to violate his mainframe, so he could still be of some help for the resistance.

And that's why he was there. This underground chamber was his little haven… The place from which he could contact the other Freedom Fighters thanks to a protected line that Eggman was not able to find… A little thing that ancient Overlanders used to call…The Interpet or something like that. Whatever.

It was usually at this particular time that Sally used to call him for a day report.

He set on his comfortable chair right in front of his computer… Than came the call.

And to his genuine surprise, it was not the juvenile form of Sally that appeared on scream… It was, instead, the old, mustached, wise face of his good friend… Maximillian Acorn.

The Robohog smiled. The former squirrel king smiled as well.

"Max… What a surprise! How are things going in the non-robotizied part of the world." Chuck used to joke about his condition… For obvious reasons.

Max went serious and immediately came to the point.

"Charles… We've found him."

The light blue hedgehog's eye widen.

"Who?" He asked.

And, ironically enough for a spy, it was his old friend who gave him the most important information of his life…

"Your nephew, Charles… We've finally found him."

"…. SONIC!?"

And this was just the beginning.

* * *

**A/N: Continues on "Tails and Sonic."**


End file.
